Hello Emerson’s newly-released album To Keep Him Here is now streaming on all platforms.
For many musicians, songwriting is an outlet for processing difficult emotions and experiences. This is true for writer and musician Sam Bodary, who founded the band Hello Emerson in Columbus in 2015.
The band, which Bodary defines as “indie folk for journalers,” released their poignant yet benevolent album, To Keep Him Here, late last month. Inspired by a family tragedy, the album is deeply personal to Bodary.
In 2017, his father, David, suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident. Bodary documented his sense of desperation from that experience within the album’s lyrics, reflecting a timeline of Bodary’s thoughts and feelings seeing his father fight for his life after the accident.
The tracks include snippets of his father reflecting on the accident and his recovery, adding to the storyline and emotional depth. The album is deeply personal but could be relatable to anyone, as moments of feeling confusion and devastation aren’t uncommon.
On the track “Tupperware for Glass,” Bodary expresses disappointment in knowing that we can strive to be as healthy as possible and still lose our lives regardless. “I only drink high fructose on occasion // I traded all my Tupperware for glass,” Bodary sings.
To celebrate the release of the album, Hello Emerson, performing as a seven-piece band, played the album all the way through in front of an especially attentive crowd. It was easy to tell they had a decent following of passionate fans devouring every track.
Ashley Mercer Photography @ashleymercerphoto
Ashley Mercer Photography @ashleymercerphoto
Members of band had palpable musicality and weren’t afraid to show it. Notable standouts included the talented xylophone player and the violinist who brought vigor to the stage.
Without ever hearing the band’s track “Ohio,” which features painfully relatable lyrics such as “It’s stifling then frozen, Ohio // And I never seem to wear the right kind of clothes,” it would still be easy to identify that midwestern sound that you can hear in other Ohio-based folk-adjacent bands such as Caamp and Oliver Hazard.
Watching the show, you could feel how much this album meant to Bodary personally, even if he hadn’t discussed his story of gratitude and his familial connection during the set.
Bodary’s lyrical delivery, sound and stage presence are reminiscent of Ryan Adams, as he alternated between strumming and plucking on his guitar looking somber and understated, vulnerable but shy.
He painstakingly sings about feeling helpless, not knowing if he should remain hopeful of his father’s recovery or accept that he would lose him. “Can I play something to keep you here,” Bodary sings repeatedly on the track “In the Corner.” His body seemed to react physically while singing as if the pain was spilling out of him.
While performing the songs felt grievous, he successfully avoided it turning into a bummer fest, as he rose back up from his emotional depths quickly, and finished out tear-jerkers by cracking a joke to break the ice.
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at CityScene Media Group.
