Molly Burch Debuts Her Excellently Retro First Single, “Downhearted”

Molly Burch's voice is a time capsule. The Austin-based singer-songwriter and Captured Tracks's latest signee takes cues from old timers like Dusty Springfield and Patsy Cline to create throaty mountains and valleys of sound. It's retro country and soul in the best way.

Today Burch is sharing her very first single, "Downhearted," an irresistibly melancholy song with clean, twangy hooks. Burch expands the sound on her refrain, You got me/ so downhearted, flaunting what her voice can do, stretching her vowels as she's echoed by wisps of backing vocals.

"I wrote these songs after moving to Austin by myself, not really knowing anybody," Burch wrote in a note to The FADER. "I had broken up with someone (but we reconciled — he's the man in the video, and my lead guitarist, Dailey Toliver) and I wanted 'Downhearted' to have that mix of feelings. Heartache, but also the freedom and lightness that comes with being alone, and realizing that you're enough. For the video, my director (and friend) Jordan Moser and I looked to make something fun and simple and dreamy — sort of Françoise Hardy does East Austin."

The video for "Downhearted" mimics the song's playful vintage vibe. Watch it below, and preorder the 7-inch here.