Alternative Folk from The Scarlet Goodbye

The Scarlet Goodbye is a project that seemed unlikely on paper but it makes perfect sense once the music begins. The Minnesota collaboration brings together Daniel Murphy and Jeff Arundel, two musicians whose careers have travelled very different paths despite occupying much of the same musical landscape. Daniel’s history includes pivotal roles in Soul Asylum and Golden Smog, while Jeff has established himself as a singer-songwriter and producer, with their eventual meeting creating a partnership neither could have easily predicted.

In fact, the story has been described as “the most unlikely match in Minnesota music history.” Daniel had already walked away from the machinery of rock music by 2012, selling his guitars and amplifiers and announcing his departure in a letter published by Rolling Stone. Having played such an important role in the launch of two seminal rock bands, it seemed that chapter of his life had reached its conclusion, then came a Christmas party. It was there that Daniel crossed paths with Jeff, a chance encounter that would eventually lead both musicians into an attic studio in St. Paul and while their careers may have overlapped in time, beyond that, their musical identities shared little obvious resemblance.

Daniel pushed Jeff towards swagger, while Jeff encouraged Daniel to reveal a more vulnerable side and somewhere between those two approaches, The Scarlet Goodbye began to take shape. First unveiling their shared musical vision as The Scarlet Goodbye in 2022, they made their entrance with the debut single “Rosary,” which they followed up with a trio of singles before their first album, Hope’s Eternal, landed the next year. Since then, more singles and their sophomore full-length record have followed and they now bring us their latest release with the brand new single titled “Losing (The Only Game In Town).”

The new single brings together the band’s Durango origins while leaning into their symphonic sympathies, an intriguing combination that places contrasting musical idioms alongside one another to create something wholly new. “Losing (The Only Game In Town)” is presented as a meeting point between engaging lyricism and musical ambition, with the duo continuing to combine melody, musicianship flair and charisma into something entirely their own. Opened by the delicate plucks of acoustic guitar as airy instrumental textures drift above, the song gently gathers pace with the shuffle of brushed percussion as smooth vocals carry picture painting lyrics via memorable melodic lines.

Warm organ tones and rising energy ushers in a catchy chorus which pairs singalong vocal leads with intricate instrumental flickers, resulting in an epic alternative folk experience. Developing with fluttering string elements and chiming bell tolls, the song blends an array of musical ideas into transportive listening experience that’s at once timeless and thoroughly original. Dashed with country aesthetic, instilled with an empowering sense of defiance and propelled by the steady motion of marching rhythm, “Losing (The Only Game In Town)” serves up a stunning showcase of The Scarlet Goodbye’s compelling sonic output.

There’s a context of movement throughout the story of The Scarlet Goodbye; Daniel began by stepping away from music altogether, only to find himself drawn back through an encounter that could easily have passed unnoticed. Jeff, meanwhile, brought his own creative perspective into a partnership that neither musician appeared to be searching for. Together, their process has produced a musical partnership that continues to develop without keeping sight of the unlikely circumstances that created it and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store next.

Listen to Losing (The Only Game in Town) below

More from Music

---

Editor Picks

---