Exclusive: Karen & The Sorrows Release Lonesome Video for “Nowhere”

Alt-country band Karen & The Sorrows are making a name for themselves after releasing The Narrow Place in September. The self-described “queer country trailblazers” have reimagined the genre to create their own brand of Dolly Parton-esque vocals, twangy petal steel guitar and easy-going rhythms, a brand that is demonstrated in their single “Nowhere.” Today, the band is debuting the video accompaniment for the song, exclusively at Paste.

From the sound of her voice, you’d never guess that vocalist Karen Pittelman previously fronted a punk band. However, having grown up on 1970s country rock, she started a band with The Sorrows, and together, they embraced the music of their past, becoming the center of a growing queer country scene.

“Now more than ever, we are grateful to be in community with so many amazing musicians,” Pittelman says. “Country music can tell compelling stories about family, love, heartbreak and strength. Those stories should include all of our families, all of our love, and especially all of our heartbreak and our strength.”

The clip for “Nowhere” adequately tells one of those stories, showing Pittelman as a troubadour wandering the streets of Brooklyn, crossing a bridge at dusk and eventually ending up in a dimly lit nightclub, serenading with mournful lyrics: “Doesn’t matter if it’s here / Doesn’t matter if it’s there / Any place without you is nowhere.” The melancholy feelings of loss and abandonment are carried by Pittelman’s high pitch and reinforced with steady percussion, swelling guitars and an elegant string accompaniment.

Watch the video for “Nowhere” below.