PREMIERE: "MANCHESTER BY THE SEA"

Memory is a powerful thing. Singer/songwriter Maryanna Devlin uses memory as a means of time travel—visiting places in the past to change outcomes, or to just remember them, examining the past and the previous versions of oneself to inform the future—for better or for worse. This theme is the common thread woven throughout the tracks on her forthcoming LP A Great Many Things, set for release on September 30th.

In A Great Many Things, Devlin presents a richly textured, more expansive version of her signature organic, acoustic sound. Many of the tracks on this refined and sharply reflective indie-Americana collection features a full band backing Devlin’s distinctly smooth vocals. The tracks, all written and composed by Devlin, are steeped in family and personal history, with lyrical themes exploring large temporal concepts like lineage and the movement of time itself. Throughout the album, Devlin considers how we are connected and disconnected by its passing.

Today, we are thrilled to present the first listen of the album’s lead single, “Manchester By The Sea,” out on July 22nd, inspired by a scenic town in Devlin’s home state of Massachusetts. “Manchester-by-the-Sea is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been, filled with sprawling private estates and private roads,” Devlin says. “I think this song was a way for me to gain access to this idyllic seaside town that is really only reserved for the elite.”

Devlin’s tender voice is a beautiful blend of ease and conviction, one that calls to mind artists like Cat Power and Sharon Van Etten. “I’ve been goin’ up to old Manchester by the Sea since I was very young / I’ve been old at heart since I was young ’cause he was lost at sea / Lost at sea,” she sings of a time of beauty tinged with the memory of loss. Sometimes, sadness deepens our ability to experience that beauty.

Without further ado, Maryanna Devlin’s “Manchester By The Sea”: