A Polaroid snapshot of sunflowers on a wooden table sets the scene for “Fresh Town,” arriving February 15 from Speak Softly. The track captures that rush of meeting someone new in a place where neither of you quite belongs. It’s about getting lost together, not watching the clock, and feeling the warmth of simple connection—even when life refuses to align on your schedule.
“Fresh Town” encapsulates my tenure living in Sacramento. I wanted this song to show the dichotomy of two hearts trying to become one. Exploring both the magic and the strain in that journey. It can be terrifying moving somewhere new. Not knowing a soul. But deciding to be vulnerable by putting yourself out there can be everything you ever wanted. Sometimes the math adds up in ways you would have never formulated.
Other times, we create a world that isn’t ours yet; with an added reminder that life doesn’t always align for us when we want it to. It aligns for us when we need it to.
Speak Softly describes “Fresh Town” as a moment of ultimate comfort—two strangers drifting through a single evening. But sometimes, we push too hard, trying to build a reality that isn’t ready. We’re left with the reminder that we can only control our own happiness, and maybe the best thing is to embrace being lost again.
Speak Softly is the solo project of Stickup Kid’s Bo McDowell. Based in San Jose, this newest East Bay acoustic songwriter looks to take 2025 by storm with honest storytelling and a willingness to face the unknown.
