Behind The Music: A Note from Wallace
I wrote the original demo of “Slow Town” in March of 2021 after waking up from a feverish nap in a post Covid vaccine haze. Half asleep, the line “living fast in a slow town,” got me out of bed quick enough to grab my guitar and turn on my voice notes to record the idea before it got away.
I find songwriting to be one of the great mystical connections to the subconscious in moments like these. It seemed that, at the time, I needed to process both the magic and restlessness of my college years. A callback to my time at UGA in the small town of Athens, Georgia, where I had my first music internship at the Georgia Theatre and made a habit of kicking up dust with my girlfriends – “Slow Town” is a reflection on growing up in the south as a woman, searching for freedom, and finding my way. “Slow Town,” being one of those rare songs that seems to write itself, describes this experience from the perspective of both craving simpler times and feeling nostalgic for the past, while also reflecting on feeling suffocated by a culture I often felt saw me as just another “pretty face at a Saturday tailgate.” I love how “Slow Town” subtly captures this duality.
After writing the bones of the song on my guitar, I brought the voice note into a session with Aly Lakhani (Lackhoney), Noah Luna, and Ben Pleasant, who helped me record a proper demo, workshopping some lyrics and the arrangement. I then teamed up with producer Sam Bierman who helped me cut final vocals and bring the production to life adding a 90s alt experimental element and pop sparkle to the southern rock undertone. And finally, Edsel Holden offered finishing touches with mixing and mastering.
Why Slow Town ?
“Slow Town” is my genesis drop for two reasons. One, because it’s my favorite song I’ve released so far and two, because it lays the groundwork for my next project: a body of work exploring formative experiences and relationships written from the lens of deconstructing patriarchal conditioning to step into my most authentic self. “Slow Town,” offers a gentle (and fun) entry point as a celebration of female friendship and a love letter to the city of Athens, where I got my first taste of independence and started sorting out who I wanted to be on my own terms.
I will be using proceeds from the “Slow Town” auction towards funding the recording budget for this project. In addition to owning the “Slow Town” 1 of 1, the auction winner will also receive a limited edition “Slow Town” necklace (as pictured in the cover art).
Patronage 🤝 Collectibles
Additional Credits & Lyrics:
Album art is by visual artist and director SHAEF
Creative Direction by Wallace Morgan
The official music video was directed and produced by myself, SHAEF, and Christina Campagnola with cinematography by SHAEF, additional VHS cinematography by Christina, final editing and color by SHAEF, and styling by me. Christina, Ellie Murphy, Janie Hannon, and Shelby Bartlett co-starred in it with me, with help from Matt LoParco, Kenny Youch, Steve Carney, Kaitlin Mamie, Anne Randulic, Sam Webb, and Sam Bierman who helped make the party scene possible.
Lyrics:
(Intro)
Ya'll ready? Let's go
(Verse 1)
Sticky floors and high heels
My girlfriend's working the bar
Line it up , debutants taking Taca shots
90s hip hop, dancing on table tops
Red lipstick, keeping each other's secrets
(Chorus)
Not looking where we're going
Chasing a good time
Running with the pack
Just following a feeling
Searching for freedom
Breaking their hearts
Keep the party rollin
Pretending it's the weekend
No turning back
Living fast, in a slow town
(Verse 2)
Stock the green room
Cool with the band
Got the hook up
For all my friends
It's closing time
Got class in the morning
My head is throbbin and my heart is racing
Just wasting away our youth on boys with bad attitudes
Athens city limits with my girls
We ruled the world
Chorus
(Bridge)
I was just waiting to leave
And go where I could be
More than just a pretty face at a Saturday tailgate
But damn I still love that place
Cause those girls
We grew up and moved away
Made our own way
Tough as nails
And fun as hell
That's what happens
When girls live fast in a slow town
Chorus
(Outro)
**Alright, I gotta get out of here
Who Is Wallace Morgan ?
A 90s baby who grew up outside of Nashville on Shania Twain, early 2000s rom coms, and the Chicks – LA based singer-songwriter Wallace Morgan is a hippie feminist farm kid whose playful spirit and old soul finds home in the music. In an attempt to shake the pressures of growing up a “good southern christian girl,” Wallace chased rock n roll to New York City to work for Rolling Stone and Republic Records, eventually leaving the corporate path to manage indie bands. After heading west to California, Wallace rediscovered her love for songwriting and embarked on her own artist journey with the release of her debut EP ‘Running with the Moondance Kids' in 2021 followed by singles “She Called It Love” and “Slow Town” released in March and October of this year, respectively. “Making music for me is my revolt against supression,” says Wallace. “It’s a channel to connect with my wildest, freest and most authentic self in hopes it might help others do the same.” Wallace has received editorial support from ABreak radio, Wolf In A Suit, Ones To Watch, The Revue, Tonic Grain and others, has performed at various showcases in LA including Breaking Sounds and Saturdays at Seven, and headlined Eve Wealth’s Wealthverse Summit performing live in in the Metaverse with Stageverse. Wallace is also an active member of the web3 community where she is building editorial at NOISE DAO as the author of NOISE’s weekly newsletter HIGH FREQUENCY.