Richy Mitch & The Coalminers - October Moon
As the leaves begin to turn and a crisp chill settles into the air (depending on where you live, of course), Richy Mitch & The Coalminers invite us to embrace the magic of the season with their hauntingly beautiful track, October Moon. The band is a trio known for their blend of traditional and contemporary folk music. Led by singer-songwriter Mitchell Cutts (“Richy Mitch”), the group often incorporates rich storytelling and heartfelt lyrics into their songs, creating a sound that resonates with listeners. In recent years, they have gained a following for their engaging live performances and relatable themes, often exploring topics like love, nature, and the human experience. Their ability to connect emotionally with their audience is a hallmark of their artistry, making them a noteworthy presence in the folk music scene. From their 2017 debut record that features a certified platinum track, Evergreen, to their recent collaborations with promising artists like Caamp and Mt. Joy, Richy Mitch & The Coalminers have slowly evolved from an underdog group of friends to a band that the folk and indie scenes really need to keep their eye on. Aside from singer/songwriter Mitchell Cutts, the band is also composed of drummer Jakob Ervin and guitarist Nic Haughn with varied bassists having joined them in studio and onstage over the years.
The aforementioned October Moon launched on October 11th for fans to enjoy and funnily enough, the song is also the name of their current headlining tour. The band took to social media on the morning of its release to discuss the song’s origins and process in a brief but thrill-inducing announcement, stating “October Moon is out now. This song is years in the making and marks the beginning of a new era for our band. I’m very excited that it can now be released and that LP4 can finally begin to take shape. Special thanks to Dylan Schneider who played bass on this record and John Mazzetta for his help with photography and rollout…Hope you love it”.
As the band themselves pointed out, October Moon is the premise of this next era for Richy Mitch & The Coalminers. With that being said, it makes sense that the song is extremely stripped down and shamelessly melancholic, like if you mixed Noah Kahan and the 1962 era of Bob Dylan together with some Bon Iver tossed in for good measure. In the past, Richy Mitch & The Coalminers have generally founded themselves on a sound that is definitely folk but with larger elements of indie and even rock through both instrumentals and lyricism. Their lyrical themes have consistently fallen into the category of coming-of-age and “pacific northwest core” according to Reddit. October Moon, though, shifts the perspective from rite of passage to a self reflection and regretful sort of ambience.
Mitchell sings about this glorious moon and its effervescent beauty, how it’s a “reminder of impending night”. To the regular listener, many can determine that October Moon is simply about the moon and maybe the season of harvest but upon further inspection, the song reveals itself to be symbolic of love, a past love, through the song’s bridge that says “Won't you come and save me? I know I say things all the time. I haven't slept while I've been sinking. I haven't called to say goodbye. If I could, then I would run right back to you and tell you, I love you, and hold you right”. Mitchell goes on to describe that all he (or, the narrator, depending on how you interpret things) has is the sun and the moon to speak to without the love interest around, a hauntingly lonely statement that makes its mark on the whole piece. It’s a somber notion that thousands upon thousands have written about in several forms whether it be in poems, screenplays, or something else entirely. Instrumentally, the contributions of Jakob and Nic further the gloomy and estranged emotions that the lyrics instill through the soft-yet-devastatingly tenacious guitar tracks and the lush approach on drums. It’s a song that, in a nutshell, is the perfect tone for this time of our lives when everything feels uncertain and terrifying, but it delivers that in a way that’s easy on the ears and painfully comforting.
Looking beyond October Moon and its freshness to Richy Mitch & The Coalminers’ discography, fans new and old can find the band on the road as they embark on their October Moon Tour that spans throughout North America with stops in cities such as Nashville, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Boston, and more. As of publishing, all original-sale tickets are sold out aside from the band’s show in Portland (11/21), though resale tickets are available for nearly every show in the states. If you’re unable to attend a show, you can stream October Moon and the rest of their warming music in the meantime.
Click here to visit Richy Mitch & The Coalminers’ official website