Video Premiere: Nick Zubeck - "Feeling Heavy"

Nick Zubeck is slowly rolling out singles from his upcoming, Sandro Perri produced album, Venusian Blues. Today the Cups N Cakes Network is pleased to be premiering the video for “Feeling Heavy” from this Guelph singer songwriter who is typically on stage as a sideman for such acts as: Sun Kil Moon, Great Lake Swimmers, and Sandro Perri. Although he plays with an impressive list of musicians, Zubeck truly shines when he’s crafting his own unique blend of indie folk that relies on meticulously crafted arrangements to highlight his thoughtful, introspective lyrics.

When asked about the song and the video, Zubeck revealed:

“Feeling Heavy is one of the occasional songs I wrote on the piano (I normally write on guitar). It started with this descending thing with intervals of 5ths in both hands separated by a minor 6th and the line "Feeling heavy in the air tonight...". I tried very hard to come up with an alternate lyric to avoid the obvious Phil Collins reference, but in the end, nothing else sounded quite right. So, hats off to Phil! The recording uses the original synth bass and drum machine on an old Kawai organ from a demo I made for the song, and was brought to life with the magical production and mix by Sandro Perri. Though ostensibly a breakup song, like much of the lyrical content on the record, the sense of loss and longing came from a sudden and unexpected romantic loss that coincided with a sudden and unexpected death in the family, and the feeling of impossible helplessness that comes with wanting that person back in one's life. The video was shot on my phone just outside of Guelph, while I was out hiking with my friend's dog Luna, during a strange late spring snowfall. She valiantly brought an entire tree trunk back from the middle of that pond. I liked the idea of the totally unrelated content that still matched the words 'feeling heavy'... I thought it was funny, and perhaps a more lighthearted take on the heavy vibe.”