Archer vs. Gunman frontman Shaun Williams describes their new song “Ghost of Trains” in a way that many people from small southern towns can relate.
This song is about going back to your hometown and finding that nothing has changed but everything has changed. It just doesn’t fit well with your memory. Some of your friends have moved on to places with more opportunity and some stayed behind and fell into the mill town traps: meth or alcohol or pain killers or whatever.
It sounds familiar as does the ghostly nostalgic feeling of the song. You can tell there’s something grinding deep down in William’s as he sings, reflecting on his view of his home. In reality it’s not just the town that’s changing, but him as well. Things change, and that’s just the way things are. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, but it’s the way we cope that moves us forward. It’s the latter half of the song where Williams sings “true love is in your reach” and makes you realize no matter how much things change, that’s what matters most and that’s something you have the opportunity to control.
The new album titled The Great Southern Odyssey will include previously unrecorded songs “All the Girls Who Can’t Remember how they got Home Last Night”, “Becca”, and a cover of Grey Spy’s (William’s other music project) “Big Dumb Rock n Roll Heart”. This track was recorded in Nashville at Gold Cassette Studios with Upstate native Alex Gilson. This song is especially reminiscent of another southern gothic band from just about an hour down the road from Archer vs. Gunman in R.E.M.. “Ghost of Trains” features weighty lyrics and guitars that sear more than jangle, resembling most the late 80’s Document era of the band.
Archer vs. Gunman play the Radio Room in Greenville Saturday, August 15 with Charleston bands Brave Baby and Susto. They’ll also be returning to Fall for Greenville this year for the first time since the band went on hiatus.
One of the best bands to come out of Greenville in a very, very long time.