Quality Americana

The Teskey Brothers’ sublimely soulful song “I’m Leaving” is drenched in vintage aesthetics and production.

We follow the main character donning a straw cowboy hat in the opening scene. An old farmer looks over his field and a couple sits on a cliff as they have a romantic day in nature. It reminds us of St. Paul and the Broken Bones and the video feels like distant memories flashing before your eyes. 

The Melbourne based group was formed in 2008 by brothers Josh and Sam Teskey, and the guitar duo released their third studio album The Winding Way this summer with Brendon Love on bass and Liam Gough on drums. The release appears on Glassnote Records and reached the top 40 of the Americana Music Association singles chart last week.

“I’ve always loved hearing singers push the boundaries. When I hear a vocalist killing it in any way that can totally bring on the goose bumps,” Josh Teskey said in an interview with Fifteen Questions.

Teskey Brothers tap into vintage soul

I felt like closing my eyes as I listened to this song. The Australian brothers have tapped into that Stax soul sound in an extraordinary way that feels totally authentic. It has hints of Marvin Gaye and Van Morrison as the main character drives down a country road and we watch bull riders in an Outback rodeo.  

“I feel like I can get quite obsessive over many things in my life. When I get into something, I find it hard to think about anything else. This is the way I make music, whether it be writing a song, recording a song or performing, I put everything into it, I get transported,” Teskey said. “This is the way I live life. I let it take me.”

There is a close up at the end of the video of the main character staring into the camera. This moment projects the empty feeling of separation discussed in the song of leaving someone you love behind.

“I hope one day I’ll see you again.  Reminisce on the all times we shared as friends. So much time gone by, look how you have changed. But I hope you found someone to love you like I did then.”

More information on the Teskey Brothers can be found here.

Press photo distributed by the Teskey Brothers.

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