Marissa Nadler is Emotional Time-Traveling in New Song “I Can’t Listen to Gene Clark Anymore” Featuring Sharon Van Etten

Marissa Nadler is on the cusp of releasing her eighth studio album For My Crimes on September 28. Just a look at the title of this record indicates it’s not an upbeat record and upon listening to it, the lyrically dense songs touch on themes of despair, guilt and self-pity throughout. Today she releases a perfect example of this darker thematic balance, “I Can’t Listen to Gene Clark Anymore.”

As the title would indicate, the song is about how the narrator is unable to bring herself to listen to folk rocker Gene Clark without her loved one. In a quote about the song, Nadler explains how music can act as an emotional time-traveling machine: “Sensory stimuli can animate the inanimate and forever assign meaning to almost anything,” said Nadler. “For me, this often happens with songs or musicians that have soundtracked a particular time in my life.”

Joining Nadler on this track is Sharon Van Etten, who contributes vocals. Naturally, she was excited to have the talented artist join her on the track. “For me, because [the song’s concept] is a fairly universal sentiment, I liked the idea of different voices expressing the same emotion,” said Nadler. “And to have it be one of my favorite singers and songwriters was a very cathartic experience for which I am truly grateful.”

Marissa Nadler Tour Dates:

10/04 – North Adams, MA @ MASS MoCA*
10/05 – Boston, MA @ Orpheum Theatre*
10/08 – Indianapolis, IN @ Murat Theatre*
10/14 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah%
10/15 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan%
10/16 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel#
10/18 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios#
10/19 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern#
10/23 – Brussels, BE @ Botanique (Autumn Falls)^
10/24 – Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet
10/25 – Paris, FR @ Point FMR
10/26 – Berlin, DE @ Musik & Frieden
10/27 – Copenhagen, DK @ Loppen
10/29 – Manchester, UK @ GulliverS
10/30 – London, UK @ St Mattias Church (Dalston)
11/30 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB
12/01 – Toronto, ON @ Baby G
12/03 – Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s%
12/05 – Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle%
12/06 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade%
12/07 – Washington, DC @ Songbyrd%

* w/ The Decemberists
% w/ Johanna Warren
# w/ Mercury Rev
^ w/ Lawrence Rothman

Matt Matasci: Music Editor at mxdwn.com - matt@mxdwn.com | I have written and edited for mxdwn since 2015, the same year I began my music journalism career. Previously (and currently) a freelance copywriter, I graduated with a degree in Communications from California Lutheran University in 2008. Born on the Central Coast of California, I am currently a few hundred miles south along the 101 in the Los Angeles area. matt@mxdwn.com
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