While born in the age of MTV, we don’t pay as much attention to video treatments as we once did and when we do we definitely make sure it’s time well spent. While Lonely Leesa & the Lost Cowboys’ “Stayed 2017” might not necessarily be what you’d consider “time well spent” given the heavy subject matter and heavy rollout throughout the Leesa Coyne-directed and produced video, it’s definitely important to witness and a powerful new visual to accompany the song originally released in 2017 and resurrected in 2024 in protest of an upcoming Supreme Court ruling determining if domestic abuse orders can prevent abusers from owning and possessing handguns.
Under the veil of a modern Alt/Country/Americana ballad comes a video with all the focus on Coyne as she delivers as powerful a performance on screen as initially recorded in this stripped bare rendition of the autobiographical track that’s haunting when confronted by the tale told from the POV of the woman trapped in an abusive relationship. Accompanied by Rachel Barringer on cello, Brian King and Jay DiBiasio on guitar, Wayne Whittaker on bass, Harrison Seiler on drums, with backing vocals by Magen Tracy, this bittersweet anthem is as bold and as profound in 2024 as it was when dropped in 2017. Even more so.
“Stayed 2017” will be released on January 24th but in the meantime, you can find the track within the self-titled EP it was originally released on when you head here. For more from Lonely Leesa & the Lost Cowboys, including the upcoming performance on January 26th at The Burren in Somerville with Other Brother Darryl, follow the trail of socials conveniently collected when you click here.