Lyle Hutchins’ debut single M.I.A. is a chronicle of the musician’s isolation and self-loathing through paradoxically humorous lyrics and crunchy guitars in the lieu of artists like MJ Lenderman and 90’s era Wilco (with some indie-folk sprinkled in), written and recorded between Hutchins’ hometown of Chesterfield, NH and his college dorm room in New Orleans, LA.

M.I.A.

Lyle Hutchins’ witty and energetic indie-folk song, Staying in Line, recounts reconnecting with old friends over the crackling sounds of a new year’s bonfire. With acoustic and heart-wrenching storytelling, Staying in Line shares the often difficult emotions of existing between two places - in this case New Hampshire and New Orleans - and the life you live in the murky borderlines. “It’s also just a fun song about getting buzzed with your friends,” Hutchins adds. “We stayed up till 2 in the morning on New Years making homemade meatballs and watching Gordon Ramsay clips on YouTube. It was great and not too serious. Which after the year I’d had, I desperately needed.”

Staying In Line

As he closes out his time in New Orleans, Lyle Hutchins steps into the spotlight with Flatlander, his debut full-length album, arriving June 27th. The 14-track project is a deeply personal exploration of nostalgia, homesickness, heartbreak, underscored by the trials and tribulations of pursuing an often misunderstood career in music. Maia Cambriello, half of the rising LA-based folk-pop group The Army, The Navy, had this to say of Lyle’s new album: “Lyle is a thoughtful and intricate songwriter and performer and it has been so beautiful to watch him grow as a musician! His latest album is sweet, and reminds me a bit of Kings of Convenience. It is the perfect album to put in your ears on a summer day walk. He writes with such intention.” The title, being a reference to the New England phrase referring to those from less mountainous locales, roots the album in the 21-year-old’s childhood experience in the region. From its hushed folk introspection to its soaring alt-rock catharsis and beyond, Flatlander proves Hutchins isn’t just telling his story — he’s capturing that universal moment when the darkness starts to crack and the light finally creeps in. 

To the Light

Duncan Pelletier

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