Handsome Ghost Premiere Their Introspective Single/Video “Birch Trees”

Melancholic, confessional, and placid, Handsome Ghost strikes up all kinds of good vibes with the music video for their new single “Birch Trees.” The Massachusetts duo has been on a bit of a hot streak lately, releasing several singles dating back to last year, with each further illustrating their unique command of sound, emotion, and warmth. They will all appear on their new EP, To the Place Where We Met Last, which will be released on March 7th via Nettwerk Music Group.

Comprised of singer and songwriter Tim Noyes and multi-instrumentalist and producer Eddie Brun, Handsome Ghost makes delicate music that strikes an ideal balance between sentimentality and positivity. It’s not meant to make you sad, but within your happiness, you can’t help but feel a little bit wistful, and maybe even nostalgic, for a positive time now gone by.

The video for “Birch Trees” features beautiful choreography and many moments that will certainly “move you.” Discussing the video, Noyes and Brun say:

“Our ‘Birch Trees’ video depicts the end of a unique relationship. It explores a partnership that, even as it is falling apart, is filled with intimacy, love and respect. Sadie Wilkins, who choreographed and starred in the piece, turned a relatively vague prompt into movements that capture the push and pull of a relationship’s final stage. It shows a harmony within the chaos of two people choosing to go their separate ways.”

As you might have imagined when you hear “Birch Trees,” a lot of thought and inspiration went into the writing and recording of this song. Elaborating on its context, Noyes shares:

“Years ago, I played a show in a town on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. No stop lights, a couple stores; that kind of place. It was a tiny, tiny strip of civilization in what seemed like the middle of nowhere. I played a little acoustic set and then afterwards I went out for a beer with the sound guy and a few of his friends. He was interesting and I was asking him questions about the town and he said something like ‘yeah, it’s beautiful, but it’s a hard place to live.”

He continues, noting:

“In the summer, you had the tourists and great weather, and it was light out until 9 or 10 pm. But in the winter (which was all but four or so months), it was cold and dark, and everything in the town was closed for the season except the grocery store and the gas station.

“I started ‘Birch Trees’ with that Michigan town in mind and then just figured out what I was going to do from there. I set the two characters up to head back there together, and then I just kind of learned as I went what their relationship was or what the town meant to them.”

This type of reflective, highly contemplative songwriting is not easy, but Noyes and Byun are really in the zone when it comes to their creativity. They work well together as partners because they are very much on the same page when it comes to each other’s thoughts, and personal and musical points of view. Their songs are all quite moody and expressive, and there is usually quite an elaborate story behind them all.

All of these single releases have steadily built towards this enlightening new five-song EP. It’s been a slow build since Handsome Ghost first emerged about a decade ago, but they have worked hard to devise a pensive, enticing sound that will have you feeling good all over.

Artwork for the album ‘To The Place Where We Met Last’ by Handsome Ghost