Billy Mack Collector‘s new album, “Songs About Water and Trying to Feel Okay” is their first full length album in four years. It’s not quite a concept album but it follows a narrative of songwriter Billy Mack’s journey through life with undiagnosed depression and finally seeking treatment. Each song documents one of many ways a person can cope with depression. Musically, the album borrows equally from bands and musicians such as early Modest Mouse, Kimya Dawson, Daniel Johnston and Beat Happening. The album features a rotating cast of over 20 musicians on a large variety of instruments – every song has its own unique style of instrumentation. The band has always self-described as “happy songs about being uncomfortable” and this album is no different.
Today,w e’re giving you the first listen of the song “It Always Seems“, accompanied by a stop-motion music video above!
𝑀𝑢𝑠𝑖𝑐 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔
Comments Billy Mack: “Throughout my life, I’ve had many feelings I didn’t understand. I’ve felt sad and didn’t understand why – The weight of existence seemingly too much. Music is often the only thing that’s made me feel seen, understood, or less alone. Both writing and listening to music has helped me understand the feelings I can’t put words to. When I wrote “Songs About Water and Trying to Feel Okay” I had recently started seeing a therapist and was prescribed antidepressants. I know that these pills don’t work for everyone. The first one I tried absolutely destroyed me. This time around though, my feelings slowed down and I was able to look back on my life and explore all of the ways I tried to heal myself, cope with, or otherwise survive depression.”
“This album is the product of all that writing and soul-searching. I still get sad – a lot. But I’m learning a lot about myself and how to get through those emotions. it feels so good to do that. Writing these songs has been just as much a part of that journey as the medicine and the therapy. It only makes sense to include a playlist of songs that helped me feel less alone at various stages of my life. Hopefully some of them make you feel less alone too.”
To keep our creative juices flowing, we asked the band to share their inspirational playlist, and we received a fairly engaging set of tracks worth a solid check
Songs That Make Me Feel Less Alone
The full album “Songs About Water and Trying to Feel Okay” is out May 8th via the Sad Milk Collective.
