Today we’ve got the video premiere of Chris Canterbury’s new single, “Heartache for Hire,” off his upcoming album, Quaalude Lullabies, “a nine track collection of mostly sad songs that offers on-the-nose lyrical phrasing, subtlety loose production, and an honest insight into razor-edge topics like addiction, depression, and loneliness.” Quaalude Lullabies is the first studio album from Chris in five years and will be released on September 23rd.

At first listen to “Heartache for Hire,” you can’t help but wonder if you’re hearing the lyrics correctly.

“I can be the reason, your heart shatters on the floor”

“Call me when you’re hurtin’ and you need to hurt some more

I’ll cut you like a cold wind, if you need someone to blame

Step out in the line of fire, I’m a heartache for hire”

Then you listen again and wish every person you encounter, date, and start a romantic relationship with could just be as upfront and honest as this song is. “Heartache for Hire” is a refreshingly honest take on the one emotion humans chase, search for, and spend many a sleepless night crying over. Heartache is a standard theme in all genres, but somehow this feels different. A new direction, a different perspective. If heartache had a theme song, this would be it.

The soft drawl of Canterbury, a Louisiana native, paired perfectly with the opening whine of the electric guitar and Gabe Lee on keys, makes for the perfect accompaniment to this tongue in cheek tune. If you can’t wait until September to sample the rest of this stellar album, go check out the other single that’s been released, “The Devil, the Dealer, & Me,” which you can find on your favorite streaming site.

Watch the premiere of “Heartache for Hire” below.

Find out more about Chris Canterbury below: