Indie Songwriters Collab Through Instagram
photo: chad cochran
Sliding into one’s DMs, especially on instagram has a sultry tone to it. While it’s often associated with romantic undertones it can also be a way to build a beautiful artistic bond! The latter is what transpired between Northeastern Ohio singer-songwriters Gretchn Pleuss and Adam Reifsnyder.
In mid 2019 Gretchen posted a one minute clip on Instagram of an unfinished song. It caught Adam Reifsnyder’s attention and the songwriter mused over it for months before reaching out to Gretchen with the intent of recording it as a duet. This songwriting tandem resulted in ‘Pining’ a warm, rustic and ambient duet about overcoming heartbreak.
‘Pining’ begins with a solid foundation as Kevin Martinez’s bass playing provides immediate support for two songwriters in despair. Subtle ambient plucks glisten over crisp acoustic guitar before Gretchen’s vocals join in, light and airy like a leaf falling upon the glistening soundscape. Gretchen’s observant lyrics paint the scene as she sings to a patron saint under a waning moon. Perhaps it’s this saint that advises her to “stay still until a silver lining” as summer fades and winter shades Gretchen is still pining.
A brief interlude brings out the subtle and dense instrumentation like a walk through the woods after a storm when everything is illuminated. Adam’s part follows in the same timbre as Gretchen’s, wielding a beautiful tenor that dances around the melody Gretchen sang. This is truly a headphones song. Adam finds himself “hiding and spying” in “the summer breeze through the leaves.” Both songwriters are using nature to heal and learning to take in the moment.
The two voices gently meet to agree on the aforementioned advice to “stay still until our silver lining.” The song rises to a modest crescendo as controlled drums amp up with a couple snare hits and cymbal rides. The pair grace us for one last refrain and are joined by chirping birds and a field recording of the outside world, a new day to overcome the waning moon and heartbreak detailed in Gretchen’s first verse.
"Pining" is available for stream on Spotify as well as every other major platform. Be sure to follow Gretchen (Instagram /Facebook) and Adam Reifsnyder (Instagram/Facebook) for more content and information on live streams and shows.