Rising Nashville singer Emily Earle dropped her latest single, “Time Machine,” last Friday, marking her second release of 2024. Co-written by Earle and Palmer Lee (Spirit Music Group), the tender ballad is sung in first person as Earle relates her drive home to a journey through time.
Through her smooth, silken vocals, Earle paints a colorful picture of her hometown memories, creatively rendering the idea into something incredibly relatable for anyone who understands what it’s like to leave the place that raised them. Kicking off with a plaintive piano riff that returns throughout the track, “Time Machine” then shifts into the first verse, with Earle setting the stage by describing her driver’s-seat perspective on the trek to that “little town.”
The chorus elevates the song to new heights with an incredibly catchy hook and compelling lyrics: “this town is a time machine, turn a corner and I’m 17; getting lost in memories on these familiar streets; it’s like everything I felt back then is waiting for me to show up again; standing still right there where I left it; it doesn’t matter how long you leave; or what happens in between; this town is a time machine.”
From there, Earle continues her description of the all the landmarks and memories turning her journey into a time-warp. The story, and instrumentation, builds as she reveals it’s been 10 years since she left the town — there’s also a layer of romance when Earle begins directing the lyrics at her coming-of-age lover.
Altogether, the nostalgic lyrics and beautiful instrumentation make “Time Machine” an incredibly powerful song that sticks in the mind not only for its catchiness, but also for its message. No matter where they are, listeners won’t be able to return to their hometowns without thinking of this song.
Listen to “Time Machine” below, and follow Emily Earle here to stay posted on her shows and new music. Fun fact, Earle is the niece of legendary songwriter Steve Earle, and she was named one of CMT’s Next Up Now artists in 2022.
Artwork by Jenni Dickens