Tobacco City's debut album out today – Tobacco City, USA — mixes cosmic country with psychedelic choogle, but "Never On My Mind"... well, that's where the honky tonk meets the soul revue. Like the Chicago band's namesake, a slow smoke hangs in the air, heavy with heartbreak and feather-blue eyeshadow, but puts a brave face on. Lexi Goddard sings with a far-away look over a pedal-steel cries, a melody that sways to country songs on jukeboxes of yore. The pained refrain of the song's title is punctuated by the backing vocals by guitarist Chris Coleslaw and bassist Eliza Weber at the chorus, their "You / Were / Never on mind" a little less sure each time.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.