Claire Porter: Chokecherries
I like a good story song. As it turns out, I may especially like a story song that leaves me with more questions than answers.
Claire Porter’s latest single, Chokecherries, is exactly that kind of song.
Porter’s evocative performance, gives the song an emotional weight that lingers.
The haunting folk ballad was inspired by Porter’s memory of a high school classmate who ran away from home and never returned. She describes the songs as “a meditation on memory, anger in loss, and the mysteries that linger in small communities.”
It feels personal in the best way.
Porter’s evocative performance, gives the song an emotional weight that lingers long after the final note. Like the unanswered questions at its heart, Chokecherries stays with you.
It’s a powerful piece of work.
You can hear the song in the video above, accompanied by Porter’s hand-drawn visualizer that takes viewers through a mysterious, dream-like forest — an ideal companion to the track’s atmosphere of memory and mystery.
After Chokecherries, you should consider taking an emotional detour via Porter’s previous single, Yellow Spider — a whimsical, jazzy conversation with a web-spinning arachnid that showcases a different side of her songwriting. It’s great stuff.
Both tracks are set to appear on Porter’s forthcoming EP, Precious Memories.
I’m obsessed with music from Newfoundland and Labrador…
It’s fresh, wild, and full of surprises. The artists here are pumping out so much new stuff, it’s hard to keep up. So, I started a playlist of my faves—tons of genres, but the only rule is they’re local and totally repeat-worthy. I update it regularly, so follow along (on Spotify, Apple Music or Youtube).
Trust me, there’s a ton of good stuff coming your way.
