The Berries (Run For Cover) Release New Single 'Down That Road Again'

With High Flying Man, Matt Berry (The Berries) embraces undying love in the face of isolation. Daring to want more life becomes a spiritual rallying cry against a world that has failed to make life either meaningful or beautiful. At their core, these songs are not about revolution, but they are about the faith that gives something like revolution a purpose in the first place.

High Flying Man reignites the tradition of great American songwriting, speaking in the voice of the longing masses. At heart, Berry demands more life, rejecting both arty cynicism and nostalgic escapism. Throughout the album, ballad reigns supreme. Berry's latest single, "Down That Road Again", available today, drips with sentimentality, powered by soft, undeniable pop melodies and pared-down chord progressions.

Berry reveals, "'Down That Road' is about the most human experience one can feel: regret. It's about desiring to treat yourself with dignity but instead choosing self destruction."

Berry cut his teeth at a young age playing in the bands Happy Diving (Topshelf Records) and Big Bite (Pop Wig), and has since regularly served as a touring member for bands like Angel Du$t and Dark Tea. His early work solidified his position as an upcoming star in the world of fuzzed-out indie rock, earning him tours and opening slots with the likes of Turnstile, Dinosaur Jr., Nothing and The Swirlies.

With The Berries, however, Berry turns the Big Muffs down (although not off), creating sonic space to stretch his wings as a burgeoning pop songwriter. The psychedelic-surrealist textures of his earlier output are not gone, per say, but rather find themselves folded into more expansive, rock-oriented arrangements, becoming accouterments as opposed to the driving force of each song itself.

High Flying Man follows The Berries' previous releases, 2018's Start All Over Again and 2019's Berryland. While longtime listeners will undoubtedly recognize Berry's disaffected drawl and melodic sensibility, High Flying Man's complex arrangements and expansive sonic landscape place it well apart from its predecessors.

Berry enlisted live band members Danny Paul (drums), Emma Danner (backing vocals), and Lance Umble (bass) during the recording of High Flying Man, as well as the mixing talents of Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Beck, Guided by Voices), breaking from the self-produced home recording ethos of the previous Berries LPs.

The collaborative nature of High Flying Man's recording process is reflected in the quality of each song's arrangement. Freed from the pressure of being individually responsible for every detail committed to tape, Berry was able to focus his attention more fully on the creative demands of constructing a dynamic and cohesive record.

On High Flying Man, loss and desire take center stage as Berry delves deep into 21st century malaise, crafting densely layered songs which project an unshakable yearning for deliverance from the world's shortcomings. Each track extends an outstretched palm towards universal connection, blending a complex mix of pop hooks, rock swagger, and psychedelia into dejected populist anthems.

High Flying Man sees its release on August 19 via Run For Cover - pre-order it here. Listen to the new single here:

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