Usually, I don’t think of myself as someone who has an aversion to country music. Despite that fact, whenever I attempt to look for new hits, they tend to be in the contemporary genre: either religious or secular. I also enjoy hearing traditional instrumentals from Asian cultures, but I don’t have a lot of songs in that genre on my daily playlist.

However, I randomly placed one country tune into my playlist, that song being “Into the Fire” by Yonder Mountain String Band. As my ears started to pick up the tones of the violin, there was a blend of melancholy and jovialness—reminiscent of Shania Twain’s style. However, the music also had its own approach, and I could easily hear the twist of enthusiasm yet relaxing attitude.

Relating to the group’s name, the music video took place in a mountainous and rocky setting. It also revealed a bright day with each musician playing their own distinctive string instrument.

A lead singer starts to step into the spotlight—his voice spilling out with ardor. It sounded like a secret that he has kept to himself for years and finally expressed through his music. He said, “Give you my heart and most of my soul/Looking for light in a love gone cold/So why am I lonely? Left high and dry/I’d give you the world and you ask for my pride.”

The way the banjo was playing perfectly accompanied his vocals. It invented a sense of being in a lonely, yet entertaining, beauty.

I also found it satisfying how they included a rapid plucking of strings that eventually slowed down. That added the comfortable sensation of not wanting to miss out on the rest of the song. If the words were removed and the violin had been heard alone, it would sound exactly like the music that was played for classical dances in balls and masquerades.

This new single is the first debut for their forthcoming album, Get Yourself Outside. It was released on February 25. The band had recorded their upcoming album during quarantine at the Cinder Sound Studio in Longmont, Colorado with their co-producer and engineer.

Another thing that I adore about it is that the song displays the fact that no matter how old country music is, it can be a congenial piece of work to make anyone feel like they belong. I am one of those people, and honestly, I can picture myself going on an excursion to an empty hill, listening to these songs float through my headphones. I see myself staring off at the natural view and being able to breathe smoothly.