Faye Webster’s “Right Side of My Neck” is a gorgeous, brief statement of longing

I’m not one to make blanket statements about people’s character based on the kinds of music they like. But if you’re not immediately charmed by the glorious sound of a pedal steel guitar, something is definitely wrong. Case in point: The juxtaposition of a slide riff against the warm, soothing Rhodes piano chords in Faye Webster’s “Right Side of My Neck” is a combination designed for maximum tingle factor. Seriously—this beats ASMR unboxing videos any day. The arrangement feels like it was pulled from some obscure vintage country-rock LP from the ’70s, the kind of thing you’d buy at a garage sale based on the kitsch value of the cover art, but would end up keeping because the artist turns out to harbor an understanding of heartbreak better than any contemporary singer on the radio. Webster has a similar understanding—her repetition of “the right side of my neck still smells like you” speaks volumes. It’s an expression of longing made all the more affecting by just how damn gorgeous these two and a half minutes are.

From Atlanta Millionaires Club, out May 24 via Secretly Canadian