Reid Parsons knows who they can count on in their supple and soulful new single Back To Back — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The title track and first single from the Vermont singer-songwriter’s just-announced debut album, Back To Back is a late-night love letter to a relationship built on dependabilty, trust and mutual understanding. Soothing and satisfying, the musical hybrid softly hits the sweet spot between ’70s pop, jazz and bossa nova, with Parsons crooning smokily and massaging their acoustic guitar over a laid-back groove flecked with melancholy trumpet tones, shimmering slide and side-stick snare accents that remind you of windshield wipers keeping time with the radio on a rainy moonlit drive.
“The song reflects an understanding and acceptance of the unique ways partners connect and coexist,” Parsons says. “It celebrates the stability and comfort found in our individual strengths and the enduring nature of our bond.” With its thoughtful lyrics and gently rhythmic groove, the track exudes warmth and intimacy, encapsulated beautifully in the refrain: ‘It means I got yours and you got me.’
“Music has always been where I can build a world to embrace all parts of myself,” Parsons explains. Their debut album, meticulously sequenced for vinyl, was tracked direct-to-tape by renowned engineer Ben Collette (Trey Anastasio, Susan Tedeschi, Sharon Jones) at Burlington’s iconic Tank Recording Studio.
Parsons is a fearless and freewheeling musician whose work veers into jazz, blues, classical, soul, funk, rock, pop, and country with reverence and grace. This vibrant patchwork is threaded together by fine song craft, a well-developed production aesthetic, elegantly expressive vocals, and impressionistic and concise lyrics. “I strive to write from a place of simplicity. I want to leave space for interpretation, to build a room for others to process, to emote, to have their own experiences in,” they say.
Parsons grew up in Moretown, Vermont, a tiny town of 1,500, and the Green Mountain State has profoundly shaped them as an artist and a person. “I am so lucky to live here and to have been raised here. The lush explosion of nature in the summer, the harsh winters, the space to breathe, and the slow pace are all part of my creative flow,” they say.
Parsons began piano lessons at age five and picked up the saxophone a few years later, beginning a lasting obsession with blues and jazz. They taught themself guitar at summer camp, where they began writing songs. When they returned home, they began performing at the now-defunct Purple Moon Pub, known for launching local legend Grace Potter.
Parsons’s music invites comparisons to Anaïs Mitchell, Frazey Ford, Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi, yet their distinctive, architectural approach to songwriting remains uniquely their own. Back To Back was partially funded through a crowdfunding campaign, with the remainder supported by Parsons’ work in farming — a testament to their dedication and grassroots approach.
Listen to Back To Back above, check out the album track list and hear more from Reid Parsons below, and join them on their website, Instagram and Facebook.
Back To Back Track List
1 | Back to Back
2 | Get Out of Bed
3 | Lightbulb
4 | Heavy Load
5 | Show Me You Love Me
6 | Holiday
7 | I’m On Fire
8 | Figure It Out
9 | Same Old Shit
10 | Where Are You Now
