Plains (Katie Crutchfield and Jess Williamson)
photo by Molly Matalon

Plains share Aidy Bryant-directed video; tour with MJ Lenderman starts soon

Plains, the new (and apparently one-off) collaborative project of Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee) and Jess Williamson, have released “Hurricane,” a new single with an Aidy Bryant-directed music video. The track comes ahead of the release of their album I Walked With You A Ways, out this Friday (10/14) via Anti-. “Hurricane” plays like a saccharine retro-folk ballad, and the music video follows suit–full of flowers, corded microphones, and gauzy filters. Of the inspiration, Aidy noted, “We had a talented, hardworking crew and paid homage to Loretta Lynn’s 70’s TV performances. I’m also going to drive the bus for their tour, so see you on the road!” Jess added:

“Hurricane” was the last song that was written for our record. We knew we needed one more, and when Katie brought Hurricane to the table we both knew the album was complete. It was incredible for me to watch this song reveal itself; from the early moments of Katie playing it for me on an acoustic guitar just days before we went to make the album, and then blossoming in the studio with the band into this total banger with huge choruses. Aidy’s video is the perfect companion for this tune, and we had a blast working with her and her team to make the visual world for this one come to life.

Watch the video for “Hurricane” below. Katie and Jess also spoke about the strong influence of country music on this new album in a new interview with Allison Hussey for Pitchfork:

Jess Williamson: When I was a little girl, artists like Shania Twain and the Chicks were my heroes, but something happened along the way where I decided that that wasn’t cool for a while. But through this project, it’s all coming full circle. It’s like, no, that’s actually the coolest.

Katie Crutchfield: I had the exact same experience. I almost wonder if, for any music-loving adult, it’s just universal that you reject the music of your parents and your childhood, and then you inevitably circle back. It just is part of life.

Williamson: One of my favorite Willie Nelson lyrics is from the song “Shotgun Willie”: “You can’t make a record if you ain’t got nothing to say.” I think about that so much. I think indie rock and country are both genres where this level of “authenticity” is required to be accepted. Me and Katie were just raised on that country stuff. We kind of rejected it for a long time—Katie went more punk and, for me, more indie and folk. We came back to it almost inevitably—like, it’s in us.

Crutchfield: What I’m hearing when I hear Sorceress is somebody who grew up listening to Shania Twain. It’s an indie record through and through, but this person’s voice, worldview, energy, and aura is giving Shania to me—or the Chicks, or Trisha Yearwood, or Loretta, Tammy, Dolly, and all of that.

Read more at Pitchfork.

Plains are about to head out on a sprawling North American tour starting next week. Making the tour even more exciting is that it’s being opened by one of the makers of one of 2022’s best albums, Wednesday member MJ Lenderman, who released Boat Songs back in April on Dear Life Records. Stream that and watch one of its videos below too. MJ and Plains reach NYC on November 11 at Webster Hall. All dates below.

Plains North American Tour w/ MJ Lenderman
Fri Oct 21: Seattle WA @ The Neptune Theatre
Sat Oct 22: Portland OR @ Revolution Hall
Mon Oct 24: Sonoma CA @ Gundlach Bundschu Winery
Tue Oct 25: San Francisco CA @ The Regency Ballroom
Wed Oct 26: Los Angeles CA @ Belasco Theater
Fri Oct 28: Pioneertown CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s
Sat Oct 29: Phoenix AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Mon Oct 31: Dallas TX @ Studio at The Factory
Tue Nov 1: Austin TX @ Scoot Inn
Thu Nov 3: New Orleans LA @ Tipitina’s
Fri Nov 4: Birmingham AL @ Saturn
Sat Nov 5: Nashville TN @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
Sun Nov 6: Atlanta GA @ Variety Playhouse
Mon Nov 7: Saxapahaw NC @ Haw River Ballroom
Wed Nov 9: Washington DC @ The Howard Theatre
Thu Nov 10: Philadelphia PA @ Union Transfer
Fri Nov 11: New York NY @ Webster Hall
Sat Nov 12: Jersey City NJ @ White Eagle Hall
Sun Nov 13: Boston MA @ Royale
Tue Nov 15: Toronto ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Wed Nov 16: Detroit MI @ Majestic Theatre
Thu Nov 17: Chicago IL @ Vic Theatre
Fri Nov 18: Minneapolis MN @ First Avenue
Sat Nov 19: Kansas City MO @ Knuckleheads