Written by Shea Roney

Hiding Places (North Carolina/New York) have released their new single “Crown of Tin” out today as a teaser for a new EP set for March 2024. The already well-versed four-piece, consisting of Anthony Cozzarelli, Nicholas Byrne, Henry Cutting and Audrey Keelin came to be through UNC’s student run college radio, WXYC. With a collection of eclectic influences, Hiding Places melded together a nostalgic realm of indie rock, folk, and other various genres, making a comfortable home for themselves in their growing catalog. With production help by Colin Miller (Wednesday, MJ Lenderman) “Crown of Tin”, a collaborative triumph, finds the band posing for a genuine and sonically mending chronicle of homesickness. 

“Counting down the seasons until I see you again”, is a lonely statement. One that does not embellish the solitude that comes with moving away from home for the first time. As a first-year student at UNC, “Crown of Tin” is one of the first songs that Keelin ever wrote, finding a process and a purpose for sharing their music. Written from the obscure height of a dorm bunk bed, four years later “Crown of Tin” is emblematic of transition as Keelin and the band move forward. 

The single begins in a sedated, lo-fi haze, finding isolation in Keelin’s performance as they sing, “Winter is me singing in my room it never ends / Taking a short dance under the sun when I can / Going on some picnics with all of my new friends”. It’s not a song that grapples with being physically alone, but more of drifting through a changed environment; new people, places, and things that haven’t been defined yet. 

As this solemn path carries on, Keelin belts out, “I’ll climb trees and look around and wear my crown of tin”, sparking the track to explode with both wrath and fragility, screeching guitars and warm fuzz, pounding drums and muted acoustic guitar. A crown of tin, though cheap material in a malleable state, is representative of a form of status; one that races back to childlike determination and flexible foundations to fall back on. As the track comes to an end with collected feedback and the warm hum of amplifiers, the band sits in this contrast of comfort, while Keelin holds onto the crown of tin; a reverted sense of self that sticks around for when they need it most. 

You can watch the video for “Crown of Tin” right here. Visit Hiding Places to support the band and get some new merch!