Exclusive European track premiere of ‘Miles Ahead, Miles Behind’, the second single from Zachary Cale’s new album ‘Skywriting’ out April 8 via Org Music.

“‘Miles Ahead, Miles Behind’ was the first song we tracked at Black Dirt where we had that “light bulb” moment and the band clicked. Once we got that one it cleared the path forward. It ended up being the first song on the album probably for that same reason. To me it sounds like the car just ambled on to the highway, gaining steam but a little bit weary of the long drive ahead.

I played it on an acoustic guitar so it has more of a rural-rock vibe than some of the others. I think I was trying to get at a Keith Richards meets Thurston Moore thing in the main guitar riff. It’s super melodic. The vocals follow the guitar melody. Phil Jacob played second guitar and added a nice counterpoint melody. Reminds me of something Johnny Marr would do. The rhythm section of James Preston on bass and Ethan Schmid on drums really nailed that mid-tempo Fleetwood Mac thump. I think we took advantage of that feel on a few other tunes as well.

Lyrically it sets the tone for the rest of the album. The song seems to be addressing a friend. Someone who’s gone through a lot but in the same breath won’t settle down. Kind of like post tour depression. You have all this energy when you get home that you don’t know what to do with. I also think in music you’re constantly weighing your self-worth. The “miles ahead, miles behind” lyric is that constant see-saw of emotions when you’re on the road. It could be applied to anything though. I guess I just feel that there’s no medium, I’m always swinging back and forth between the high and the low. I also feel that these days artists are forced to think about their artistic value by metrics. How many followers you have, how many likes, how many tour dates, Spotify numbers, etc. I guess what I’m saying in the song is to ignore all that crap and just make your art. Some days you’re ahead, some days you’re behind. In the end what matters is making something happen.”

Zachary Cale has been a fixture of the underground music scene in nyc for over 17 years. Often cited as a songwriter’s songwriter, his eclectic musical influences have guided his own unique style of songwriting. Whether alone with an acoustic guitar in an intimate room or on a festival stage with a full band, the song itself has always been his magnetic north. An expressive singer and masterful guitarist Cale has honed his craft over years of touring and recording.

Born in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana and later raised both in Jakarta, Indonesia and Washington State, Cale picked up the guitar at age 12 and started writing original material in his early teens. In his college years he cut his teeth in the Olympia music scene of the late 90’s forming bands that explored both punk and folk sounds. Upon relocating to NYC in the early 2000s, the label new world of sounds released his debut album, outlander sessions: an album consisting of intimate story songs, nuanced guitar-picking and an aching vocal delivery. Cale’s foundations were set.

The albums that followed: ‘Walking Papers’ and ‘Noise Of Welcome’, expanded on his foundations by using alternate tunings, complex finger-style guitar techniques, and highly poetic narrative song structures. By 2011 Cale was touring nationally and overseas. ‘Blue Rider’ was released in 2013 to much acclaim. The album encapsulated his intimate solo performance style while the follow-ups, ‘Duskland’ and ‘False Spring’, move into fuller band arrangements, showcasing the songwriter’s skill as a band leader, and his ability to meld roots influences with a classic American rock sensibilities.