SONG PREMIERE: ‘TELL IT TO THE SKY’ BY TRACY BONHAM FEAT. NICOLE ATKINS

Start your week right here with a slinky, sinister, put-it-on-repeat collab from two extremely gifted singers, Tracy Bonham and Nicole Atkins, called “Tell It To The Sky” – a new reworking of a Bonham classic that we’re proud to premiere on Pancakes & Whiskey today. The spine-tingling reimagined song is part of a full re-recording of Bonham’s gold-selling 1996 record, The Burdens Of Being Upright, in celebration of its 20th anniversary – and because, as Bonham put it, “This album was written about an abusive ex boyfriend more than twenty years ago, and the lyrics are finding their way into present day conversations I am / we are having about misogyny, making themselves relevant again.”

Cleverly titled Modern Burdens, the new LP will be unveiled on October 11th to coincide with International Day of the Girl, and will feature collaborations with six other female artists in addition to Atkins, including Tanya Donelly of Belly, The Breeders, and Throwing Muses, Kathryn Calder of The New Pornographers, Rachael Yamagata, Kay Hanley of Letters To Cleo, Australian pop songstress Angie Hart, and Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz – “like minded female artists whom I have known and loved since the 90s to today,” according to Bonham. At the end of the project, portions of the proceeds will be donated to Girl Up and Friends of the Woodstock Library.

Modern Burdens cover

“Nicole has one of those voices you can bathe in,” Bonham said of Atkins. “She and I became friends years ago when we used to hang out with the Rolling Stone folks. Then I went to a show of hers at the Bell House in Brooklyn and said, ‘Holy shit. This woman can sing.’ Her sultry and seductive inflections and her dynamic performance made me realize I better step up my game in a big way. When I approached her for Modern Burdens, she was enthusiastic and asked if she could sing this song. She flew from Nashville to Brooklyn to record vocals in John’s apartment,” she explained, referring to producer John Wlaysewski (of the band Late Cambrian). “And she nailed it like a total pro. No second takes. She’s a phenomenal singer.”

Listen to the new track above right here on P&W, and pre-order Modern Burdens (due out on October 11th) here. For more updates from these two, follow Tracy Bonham on her Facebook and Twitter – and Nicole Atkins on her Facebook and Twitter. And of course, don’t miss Bonham’s record release show for Modern Burdens in NYC on October 17th at The Cutting Room (tix available here).