“What is it like to be a mass shooter? Or a person living with dementia? What plea might a person deeply addicted to opioids make?” These are just some of the questions indie folk singer-songwriter Scott Garred tackles on his upcoming album Scott Songs Vol. II and new single Dementia/Blue — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
As a board-certified music therapist working in mental health for over 15 years, Garred has served in state psychiatric facilities, private hospitals, memory care, and prisons; as the frontman for bands Super XX Man and Silver Scooter, and a musician for nearly 30 years, he’s written about thoughts or feelings on a more personal level.
“Through music therapy sessions, I have worked with a variety of criminals and people with severe mental health issues,” he shares. “It’s important to understand another person’s perspective, and today more than ever, this is true; my work has helped me do this with a considerable amount of empathy. “It was no longer enough to sing about a thought or feeling related to my work or personal life, so I flipped the script completely for this new album.”
Scott Songs Vol. II arrives Nov. 20, and includes Garred stepping into the topics and perspectives of many, including artificial intelligence, climate change, a mass shooter, a priest, and a dementia patient as in Dementia/Blue. The song features creative input from Kelly Atkins, a multi-talented singer, producer and director who’s also with Kitka and 20 Minute Loop, and a peer whose encouragement came at a time when Garred needed the nudge.
“I wasn’t sure, but I kept writing. That’s when I shared the demos with Kelly. She makes her voice sound theremin-like, insect-like, and just plain gorgeous-like,” he continues. “So when we spoke by phone and she said the creative deep dive into empathy was especially touching to her right now, just like that I had the confidence to continue writing and recording.”
Watch Dementia/Blue, hear more from Scott Garred below, and connect with him on his website, Twitter and Facebook.
