Caribou Run’s new single, “Highway Home”, frames a relatable theme – relationship troubles – in an engaging way. As Moores belts out the song’s chorus – “It’s a long dark highway home” – the words are simultaneously foreboding and optimistic, matching our outlook for the video’s protagonists.
Self-described as “neofolk”, Caribou Run features a blend of bluesy folk with a touch of country and dare I say, rock. Despite being scattered across the country, Caribou Run’s six band members continue to infuse a maritime feel into their music. “Highway Home”, is no exception. Originally from Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, the band’s distinctive guitar picking and the deep, dulcet tones of lead vocalist Drew Moores quietly pull listeners in.
The lyrics of “Highway Home” arouse feelings of nostalgia and empathy, while we are absorbed into the actor’s train of thought. The harmonies created by Moores and Danielle Noble, enriched by the layered vocals of Corey Thorpe and Mike Brunelle, convey a contentious narrative that is both concise and poignant.
Filmed from a first-person perspective, the song’s music video has an intimate feel. The story spans back and forth from a brightly lit dinner table for two, paired with shadow boxers, to a dim backroad in small-town Nova Scotia. Vacillating between light and dark, the filmography and lyrics afford us an eyewitness glimpse into the couple’s relationship.
Lyrics and video transport the listener into a realm of reflection. This is echoed in the album artwork created by fellow Nova Scotia musicians – KT Lamond and Kim Carson (both of Like a Motorcycle). Monochrome astronauts seemingly walking both on the moon and beside a long, dark highway, juxtaposed with vibrant flowering cacti, evoke conflicting feelings of isolation and comfort, the present and the possible.
“When I wrote the lyrics for Highway Home, I was spending a lot of time driving back and forth between Halifax and Mahone Bay,” says Moores. “Those late-night drives give you time to think and reflect on lots of things such as a relationship, which is what this song is about”, he continues. “We wanted the video to convey the same feeling by flashing back and forth between reality and dream sequence,” Moores explains, “and the boxing metaphors in the lyrics seemed like a great visual too.”
The song culminates with a feeling of hopeful introspection. As Moores utters “Like a deep breath released in the air”, the exhale is almost palpable. The final choruses – although sharing the same words – return the listener to a more reflective, if complicated, reality.