Today, Austin-based singer-songwriter William Harries Graham shares “On The Outside,” the new single from his upcoming album Annie’s House, due out October 25 via Strolling Bones Records. A raw, emotional story about moving on from a relationship when you’re still very much in love, the track was hailed by Atwood Magazine for its “dreamy portrayal of not wanting to leave a state of comfort.”
Watch the Official Video for “On the Outside”
Stream “On the Outside”
Pre-order Annie’s House
“‘On the Outside’ is a song about the end of a relationship with someone that you’re still in love with. The feeling of not wanting to let go quite yet.” says Graham. “It was one of the first times I really played with a conversational approach to songwriting. Really saying what I mean rather than dancing around it with description. But it’s all centered around knowing you need to move on, but not yet being able to.”
On the video, Graham had the privilege to shoot with his childhood friend and longtime collaborator, Col Elmore. “Col and I were working on another project at the time, and I pitched the idea of shooting this video. I roped him into getting up at 5AM and driving an hour north of California to shoot the video. We drove back that same afternoon with our jeans wet from standing in the ocean all morning.”
“On The Outside” follows the release of “Ohio State,” the album’s lead single which encapsulates the thematic exploration of love, nostalgia, and personal growth in Annie’s House. The track received praise from Magnet Magazine for its “low-slung indie-rock feel” and “its almost-conversational prose delivered in a quivery-sweet high register.”
A product of the vibrant Austin scene, Graham gravitated towards music instantly. His father, Jon Dee Graham, is a respected musician and singer-songwriter in his own right, known for his work in groups like The Skunks and the True Believers. Hailed as a prodigy in his early teens by acclaimed music critic Michael Corcoran, William played his first gig at age 6 at the Austin Music Awards - to a crowd of over 1,000.
Absorbing as much inspiration as possible, Graham poured over records by everyone from Gregory Alan Isakov to Julian Lage. Penning original music and playing around town, William cut his teeth over countless shows at coffee shops, bars, and “everywhere in between” before finally releasing his debut album in 2015, Foreign Fields, garnering acclaim from No Depression and Austin American-Statesman.
Graham’s two most recent releases, there are only endings (2023,) and JAKES (2019) impressed the likes of NPR Music, The Austin Chronicle and Atwood Magazine, which praised his songwriting as being “a gloomy but freeing ode to lost love.” He has also shined on stage at SXSW and played on bills with artists including Arcade Fire, Los Lonely Boys, and James McMurtry.
As William Harries Graham invites listeners into Annie's House, he aims to evoke reflection and connection. “When people hear this album, I want them to walk away from it with some reflection on their own lives and experiences.” He says. “The music that I personally connect with is always music where I see some part of myself in it. I hope you see yourself in Annie's House.”
Annie’s House Tracklist
1. Yourself
2. Annie, Are You There?
3. Brooklyn
4. Ohio State
5. George And Steve
6. On The Outside
7. Maybe That’s The Way To Your Heart
8. Philadelphia
9. Galway Coast
10. Same as When We Were Kids
