If you’re unfamiliar with Scott Stepakoff, the writer and his 2014 album Unlived Lives should be at the top of your list. Stepakoff’s writing credits include Kip Moore’s first single, “Mary Was The Marrying Kind,” as well as Tim McGraw’s “It’s Your World” and three cuts on Kelsea Ballerini’s recent debut album The First Time (“Square Pegs,” “Lookin’ At Stars,” and “Underage.”) This April, Stepakoff signed a new publishing deal with Black River Publishing.
Stepakoff’s stellar writing is in full force on Unlived Lives. “In The Groove,” written with Hillary Lindsey (“Jesus Take The Wheel,” “Blessed”) is smooth and soulful, with vocals and styling akin to crooner Brett Eldredge, while the bold “Queen of Angels” leans toward rock. On “Lie Here,” Stepakoff is raw and whispery, waging an internal war with only a guitar and string to bear witness – “my head’s saying stay, my heart crying, ‘what for?’ … I just lie here,” he sings. It’s haunting in its implications – “I could roll over and face toward the wall / take back my arms and just let you fall / run screaming the truth up and down this old hall / say I don’t love you at all / I just lie here” – and speaks with almost uncomfortable honesty to both those that wish to run and those who hear only that silence.
Stepakoff is subtle with the images he chooses, balancing them nicely without being overwrought. “Suitcase and a trunk filled up with reasons why I’m running / windshield wipers slapping at the rain, they don’t know nothing ’bout the state I’m in,” he sings on “Only The Radio,” an ode to the songs that simultaneously trigger and tame the sting of heartbreak. Melodic highs infuse with strength what could otherwise be more vulnerable lyrics, making for a complex duality. Subtle and strong imagery rounds out the song, such as “an old guitar strumming on my broken heart strings.”
Songwriter and artist Brandy Clark (if you missed her playing the Grammy Awards this year with Dwight Yoakam, you may know her as one of Kacey Musgraves’ closest cowriters) joins Stepakoff for the title track. “I’ve got burning loves that could’ve turned to flames / I’ve got unlived lives running through my veins,” they sing on the chorus. It’s not the escapism of “Live Like You Were Dying,” and there’s no suggestion of pursuing the un-actioned items that come to line the shelves of our regrets trophy case. Instead, it lives in that high-angst space; not unhappy, but not wholly fulfilled either. At the same time, there’s an acceptance to it, which makes it infinitely more interesting than the trove of raise-your-glass-don’t-sweat-tomorrow viewpoints turned melodies.
Preview Unlived Lives through Ten Ten Music Group’s website, or grab your copy on iTunes.
Track Listing:
1. Queen Of Angels
(Scott Stepakoff / Will Bowen)
2. In The Groove
(Scott Stepakoff / Hillary Lindsey)
3. Unlived Lives (feat. Brandy Clark)
(Scott Stepakoff / Brandy Clark)
4. A Little Bit Of Everything
(Scott Stepakoff / Will Bowen)
5. Whiskey Wings
(Scott Stepakoff)
6. Your Memory Ain’t What It Used To Be
(Scott Stepakoff / Marla Cannon-Goodman)
7. Only The Radio
(Scott Stepakoff / Jeremy Cottrell / Jason Gantt)
8. Holy Love
(Scott Stepakoff / Tommy Lee James)
9. Lie Here
(Scott Stepakoff / Marla Cannon-Goodman)
10. At The End Of The Day
(Scott Stepakoff / Mason Douglas)
I have a cd of Scott’s that he did maybe seven years ago . Love listening to it