Morning Tourist “Small Flame”

Rising alt-folk act – MORNING TOURIST – has unveiled a new video for his recent single: “Small Flame”, taken from his brand new album ‘The Endless Eve’ (due Summer 2023).

The alias of alt-folk musician Sean McKinney – Morning Tourist – follows the release of his recent single “Small Flame” with a heartwarming new video for the track.

Directed by old friend and videographer Becky Dorgan, and starring his sausage dog Ted, the new visuals touch on themes of love and loneliness. As Morning Tourist explains:

“When the time came to make the video for “Small Flame”, I had recently found myself living on my own with a dog for the first time. This was during a period of pretty significant change in my life and as it happened Ted became a helpful constant at a time of upheaval and uncertainty. It seemed a sweet idea to make a sort of love letter to our simple life together.”

Conceived “in the Robert Rodriguez, Kevin Smith-esque school of indie film” where you make do with what you have and keep the budget low by utilising things you already have access to, the artist adds:

“I think the time lapse effect and single location evokes the idea of a dependable shelter or retreat from the outside world. Ted usually dislikes me playing the guitar, typically leaving the room when I pick it up: I think because it means I can’t stroke him. So I appreciated his cooperation in that regard and also for allowing us, despite some reluctance, to attach a small camera mount to his back. He’s a good boy.”

Revolving around an idea that could have stemmed from the minds of H.G. Wells or Aldous Huxley, “Small Flame” is a sci-fi love song filled with what-ifs and parallel realities, dreams and decisions. Imagining a world in which we could freeze time at the peak of a relationship, the track  philosophizes on how the thoughts we have and the choices we make can so easily reshape our lives forever, while considering whether skepticism in love can serve as a self-fulfilling prophecy.

An incandescent slice of alternative/folk, “Small Flame” is evocative of Morning Tourist’s  bright potential as a shining new songwriting talent. Flickering with shades of Eliott Smith to The Shins, Sparklehorse to Villagers, the song is the first to be plucked from an upcoming 9-track debut album from Morning Tourist entitled ‘The Endless Eve’, which is set for release in 2023.

With all songs composed and written by MT’s Sean McKinney (including instrumentation of Acoustic & Electric Guitar/Percussion/Vocals/Keys), the album was recorded at Shenley Studios, Rushmoor (UK). Produced and Engineered by Tom Davis, it features guest appearances from Jody Lahart (Bass), Sam Cahalin (Synth), plus electric guitars by Harvey Fenny (on the closing track “Perfect Sense”).

-Official bio