One of the best aspects of music is the way it can transport you into a world you’re a stranger in and make it feel familiar. Elias Hix’s lush indie-folk record “Paper Teeth” talks about coyotes on the front porch, a barn burning, and frozen lilacs—all of this imagery informed by his experiences growing up on a cattle farm in South Carolina. This song is about much more than those experiences, though. He speaks about the ebb and flow of fear and comfort, self-doubt and confidence, and in his own way crafted a simple song about the universal feeling of insecurity.
Backed by raw sounding acoustic guitar plucks and subtle synth pads, he sings “Barn loft burning / Old stars falling,” on the chorus. To Elias, a barn is a place of nurturing and creation, and the idea of it burning represents “insecurities taking away the parts of you that allow you to grow.” On top of being a heart-wrenching and understated folk ballad, “Paper Teeth” reads like a poem, giving you words to return to if you’re struggling with your own doubts.
