The Austin folk-rocker Carson McHone has a new covers EP on the way. ODES arrives in July via Merge with renditions of McHone favorites by Margo Guryan, Conway Twitty, and MC5, as well as today’s lead single “I Couldn’t Say It To Your Face,” an Arthur Russell selection that McHone has done wondrous things with. I think I like it better than the original? It was already such a beautiful song, almost like Russell doing an impression of Jackson Browne, but McHone has made it so graceful and wistful. It feels like it flowed directly out of her, from some tender, melancholy refuge within. I love it.

McHone’s statement:

“I Couldn’t Say It To Your Face” challenged me. At first I was angry with the speaker, who seemed to be slipping cowardly out the back door. But now my relationship with the song has deepened — that is part of Arthur Russell’s magic. The A part, or choruses, are almost an apology, or at least an explanation, but then the B parts feel more self-righteous — so the song embodies a liminal space. I understand the meaning to be the first step in the process of understanding, perhaps of forgiveness. When I sing it, I am acknowledging that richness, that complexity. The fact that the original was an unreleased demo until it came out posthumously is poignant. Russell was such a prolific artist despite, or perhaps in accordance with, his personal struggles, and his unique sensitivity is so evident and yet also so relatable in his songs. I’m grateful we have access to his work, and this song in particular is a great reminder—people are complicated. I like to think we do what we can.

Watch the video below, where you can also hear Russell’s track.

TRACKLIST:
01 “It’s Alright Now” (Margo Guryan)
02 “(Lying Here With) Linda On My Mind” (Conway Twitty)
03 “I Couldn’t Say It to Your Face” (Arthur Russell)
04 “The American Ruse” (MC5)

TOUR DATES:
05/25 Peterborough, ON – Take Cover Books (duo)
05/29 Montreal, QC – La Sala Rossa*
05/31 Burnstown, ON – Neat Cafe^
06/04 Ottawa, ON – The 27 Club*
06/05 Hamilton, ON – Into the Abyss*
06/06 Toronto, ON – The Monarch Tavern*
06/07 St. Catharines, ON – Warehouse Concert Hall*
07/19 Saskatoon, SK – Ness Creek Music Festival
07/23 New York, NY – Mercury Lounge
07/24 Richmond, VA – Get Tight Lounge
07/25 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle (Merge 35)
* w/ Julie Doiron
^ w/ The Outfit

ODES is out 7/19 on Merge.