Rayland Baxter

Rayland Baxter's fourth album, If I Were a Butterfly, emerged from a year of solitude in a converted rubber-band factory turned studio in Kentucky. Immersed in nature and free from the constraints of traditional production, Baxter allowed the record to unfold organically, drawing inspiration from his surroundings. “I’d see a butterfly or hear a bird, and suddenly a song I’d been working on would make sense,” he recalls. This deeply personal approach led to an album that radiates raw emotion and wonder, blending lush psychedelia with Beatles-esque pop.

Co-produced with Tim O’Sullivan and Kai Welch, If I Were a Butterfly features a stellar lineup of collaborators, including members of Cage the Elephant, Shakey Graves, and legendary Motown drummer Miss Bobbye Hall. The album also holds special significance with contributions from Baxter’s late father, Bucky Baxter, whose pedal steel work graces two tracks. Highlights include the title track, which incorporates childhood audio clips, and “Billy Goat,” a fiery breakup anthem, while songs like “Rubberband Man” channel the quirky charm of the studio’s unique history.

Exploring themes of love, loss, and transcendence, the album reaches poignant depths with tracks like “Tadpole,” a piano ballad tinged with tender and haunting childhood memories, and “My Argentina,” a raw, gospel-infused closer recorded during an emotional late-night session. Reflecting on the experience, Baxter describes it as both exhausting and transformative, guided by dreams of his father and the spirits of late friends who shaped the studio. Ultimately, he hopes the album inspires listeners to embrace life’s beauty amid its chaos, offering a space for reflection and dreaming.