Music Premiere - Ballerina by Dustin Brown (featuring Rachel Cole & Billy Hartman)

Last March we covered the arrival of Moody, Texas native Dustin Brown and his self titled album, which could be summarized a solid, but gritty entry point into the Americana genre.

Today we are back for a new single he's dropping on December 12th.

“Ballerina” is a short, melancholy ballad that flips a familiar script. Instead of the guy chasing the road, the rodeo, or some other call to adventure, it’s the woman who can’t stay put. Brown plays the role of the heartbroken one left behind who is fully aware she doesn’t feel the same, while Rachel Cole (fresh off working with Todd Snider on one of his final projects) voices a woman convincing herself she just needs one more shot of luck to find whatever she’s chasing.

Brown's vocals are somber, knowing what kind of situation he's in. Cole's are also sad, but with a definite tinge of self-justification for her behavior. And while the title "Ballerina" implies she's chasing some graceful, beautiful higher purpose, the whole song is laced with carnival imagery that paints a more, let's say...rough & trashy reality. The song and all the instrumentation labor to get through the pain of it all.

We dig this three minutes of sadness, so have a listen and let us know what you think.