Bridge Ain't Burned

Bridge Ain’t Burned is the latest single from the forthcoming LP from North Coast Australian folk-rocker, Cheynne Murphy, released November 27, 2020. This track explores the idea of separation, conflict, love, and healing set against the backdrop of shimmering acoustic guitars, a pulsing rhythm section, and lush a string arrangement reminiscent of the splendor of Bitter Sweet Symphony (The Verve). 

This song morphed and evolved over the writing process of two years. Says Cheynne “ Originally I had the working title of Tide is Turning but felt the track needed more power melodically and sitting out in the surf I heard the melody and words of Bridge Ain’t Burned and changed the chorus. I was reflecting on troubled relationships and conflict coexisting with feelings of deep-rooted love and loyalty”.

Original demo:

Some of the production occurred as Covid took hold and required Cheynne to send tracks to Northern Rivers Drummer Guy Anderton (Lisa Hunt) who recorded the track at home with a couple of microphones. Akshay Kalawar who collaborated on Cheynne’s first release Firesongs For The Soul also wrote and recorded a string arrangement at home, lifting the track almost into orchestral rock at its crescendo. “It's a small world,” says Cheynne: “ I met Akshay when he first arrived from India and he played beautiful Bansuri flute on my first album. Then a few years later we supported Jeff Martin (The Tea Party) as a duo. He had never heard of Jeff or his music and there was this surreal moment whereupon hearing his flute playing, Jeff came backstage and asked if he would jam in his set. Jeff proceeded to pull out his double-neck Maton guitar and played a few tunes while Akshay played. I was a fly on the wall. It was amazing”.

Fast forward to 2020 and they inadvertently meet again in this song. Akshay was sent the track digitally in Brisbane to lend his melodic ear via strings and Jeff played electric guitar down in the hills of Byron to add texture to the songs ever-growing semblance The end result is a melodic and full-bodied folk-rock song sharing a heart-felt message to not burn bridges with loved ones.

Again Cheynne joined forces to record the song with long-time collaborators including engineer and producer Paul Pilsneniks (Angus Stone, Bernard Fanning, Pete Murray, The Tea Party), Mark Heazlett and Jeff Martin guitars, Guy Anderton on drums, Ben Brennan (Seven) and Akshay Kalawar on strings.