This week’s local artist spotlight goes out to indie rockers Airpark and their new track “Bring It Back My Way.” Formerly of folk-rock band Apache Relay, brothers Michael Ford, Jr. and Ben Ford make up Airpark. Their unique sound expands on the work they did with Apache Relay, taking it to new heights.
Not ones to be pigeonholed, Airpark list influences ranging from world music like Tinariwen to staples like Nick Cave. Their groovy genre-bending sound even caught the attention of indie-pop mainstay St. Lucia, who brought Airpark along on tour. That tour also brought the brothers to Bonnaroo—along with our beloved Live on the Green.
“It doesn’t sound like anything else coming out of Nashville right now,” the brothers wrote of their work in a 2017 American Songwriter piece. That was in reference to their very first project, the cheekily titled EP Early Works, Vol. 1. Since then, the duo has released two additional EPs—Early Works, Vol. 2 and Songs of Airpark—along with a variety of singles. In short, Airpark is nothing if not prolific.
The newest Airpark single, “Bring It Back My Way (ft. Erin Rae),” stands more firmly in the folk space than much of their other work. Featuring harmonies that recall The Civil Wars’ folksier songs, the track is a breezy reflection on lost love. Indie-folk singer-songwriter Erin Rae, a Nashville local herself, lends a particularly mournful nuance to the track. Yet despite its rather demure lyrical content, Airpark manages to keep the track from feeling like a pity party. The closest parallel would be something like Cage the Elephant’s “Trouble:” wistful, yes, but never heavy. Check it out for yourself below:
We’ll be playing “Bring It Back My Way (ft. Erin Rae)” throughout the week as we feature Airpark as our Local Artist of the Week. Catch it live on-air at 100.1FM on your dial or streaming live at lightning100.com.
