It was the very early ‘90s. I was no more than six-years-old sitting in my mom’s brand new pickup when I asked her when I could move out. She told me if I did well in school and went to college – 18. Who knows if I would’ve gone on to be a great student without that chat because more than anything I wanted away from that itty bitty town. Of course, the day came to move and I was sad, which is why “Nobody Leaves” by Scalawag hit a certain type of way. Not only is this song about family ties, but it’s also rooted in that inevitable moment of leaving the place you called home for so long.
Hearing all that went on in the mind of Scalawag to write this one, my own story, and then listening to this in the middle of the night not too long after my first cross country move that has taken me the furthest from the comfort of California…was a bit much to handle, but I pushed on. I pushed to find myself amid a song I feel Zac Braff would be elated to find for the soundtrack to the next movie he penned for Scalawag has that melancholic indie vibe that harkens the mind back to the brilliance found within the confines of ‘Garden State’s’ hour and 42-minute run.
It has been a busy year for this Canada-based, indie delight. A debut EP featuring the likes of “Touch” and “You on My Mind.” Then a whole new single in “Nobody Leaves.” If this is what Scalawag can deliver in a year, there is no telling what’s to come. We just hope it’s more like what’s already been presented because it’s an emotive wonder. For more music from Scalawag check out “Nobody Leaves,” out now on all major music and streaming sites.
Written by Kendra Beltran
