Waxahatchee (Katie Crutchfield) and Jess Williamson have teamed up for a new, one-time-only collaboration called Plains. The duo shared their first single, “Problem With It” today (July 27) and announced their album, I Walked With You A Ways will be out Oct. 14 via ANTI-.
A classic country song, “Problem With It” finds Crutchfield and Williamson channeling the badass breakup anthems of strong Southern girls like The (Dixie) Chicks and Dolly Parton. An empowering track, Crutchfield’s twang and Williamson’s sugary drawl dance over a banjo as they avow, “If it’s all you got, yeah it’s all you gave / I got a problem with it / If you can’t do better than that babe / I got a problem with it.” There’s no trace of animosity towards the situation—instead, the duo place themselves at the center of the narrative, knowing their worth and ensuring that they honor it by refusing to accept the behavior they used to excuse. Driving fast past “the Jet Pep and Baptist Church,” it feels like that spontaneous moment of healing when you’re speeding out of your hometown and away from the heartbreak into the sherbet-colored sunset featured in the accompanying music video.
“I’m thrilled to announce this new project and album. I’ve felt a connection to Jess’s songwriting and a kinship with her since we met years ago,” Crutchfield said. “Getting to lean into the influence of the music we both grew up with while also making something that feels very current and fresh to me was a great experience and I’m so happy to finally share it.”
“Making this record with Katie was a deeply expansive experience for me as a songwriter. I really trust her ear and sensibilities, and she encouraged me to explore aspects of my songwriting that in the past I’ve shied away from. Katie’s support was so important for me as we wrote this album,” Williamson added of the project. “We gave ourselves permission to lean into the music that raised us and write the kind of classic timeless songs that we both grew up singing along to. For me that was The Chicks and Dolly Parton, and having a place to channel those influences was an absolute blast. My hope with Plains was to tap into something Universal. I love the album we made, and I’m so excited to play it live.”
Crutchfield and Williamson also announced a North American fall tour that will begin in October. MJ Lenderman will join them on all dates, which you can find below.
Check out the video for “Problem With It,” directed by Corbett Jones and Nick Simonite below, along with the tracklist and album art.
I Walked With You A WaysTracklist:
01. Summer Sun
02. Problem With It
03. Line of Sight
04. Abeline
05. Hurricane
06. Bellafatima
07. Last 2 On Earth
08. Easy
09. No Record of Wrongs
10. I Walked With You A Ways
I Walked With You A Ways Art:
Plains Tour Dates:
October
21 – Seattle,WA @ The Neptune Theatre
22 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
24 – Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu Winery
25 – San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
26 – Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco Theater
28 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s
29 – Phoenix AZ, @ Crescent Ballroom
31 – Dallas TX, @ Studio at The Factory
November
01 – Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
03 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s
04 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
05 – Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
06 – Atlanta GA, @ Variety Playhouse
07 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom
09 – Washington, DC @ The Howard Theatre
10 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
11 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
12 – Jersey City, NJ @ White Eagle Hall
13 – Boston, MA @ Royale
15 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
16 – Detroit MI, @ Majestic Theatre
17 – Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
18 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
19 – Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater
