"Back in the Tall Grass" (Future Islands)

If you've ever seen Baltimore's (formerly Greenville, NC's) Future Islands perform live, you know that frontman Samuel Herring is like watching a young Marlon Brando who's trying to exorcise demons from his body.  He'll pound his chest.  He may smack himself in the face.  He may even go from a whisper to a full-on metal growl within the span of a second and back again.  He's just one helluva entertaining performer with a lot of heart.
The band's past few albums have had some fantastic moments, but the trio seems to be hitting its stride with the 2014 release Singles—an apt title, considering that more than half of the songs could stand on their own as singles.
I'd almost never add a new song to a list of "all-time" favorites, but the Singles track "Back in the Tall Grass" has a timeless quality that recalls the best of Joy Division/New Order with a healthy dose of blue eyed soul.  It's going to be in my playlist for years to come, I know.
As Herring told the audience during a May 1, 2014, NPR live-streaming concert from Washington, DC's 9:30 Club, the lyrics refer to a creek that ran behind his childhood home in Eastern NC.  The nostalgia Herring expresses for these environs is an extended metaphor for missing a loved one.
Everything works in this song: the mix of digital and analog, the shifting dynamics, as well as the memorable hook (One step takes me home / Two steps back on my own...) that sounds like it was lifted from an ancient hymn.
Keep a close eye on this band.