Wilson Post Office
February 2025 - I wrote ‘Wilson Post Office’ in 2020 and have been playing it in my live sets since. It’s become like my favorite sweater - a little frayed around the edges from how much it’s been worn and though it’s shrunk a few times in the wash, somehow it just feels even more like mine every time I wear it. This song holds a memory of this strange (and awful) moment in time that made me feel frantic and frustrated, but it snapped me into a harsh reality that the budding relationship that I was wanting so much to bloom was not actually not at all good for me. Fortunately, with time, I can see it now with clearer eyes….”but love is blind, it’s unfair.”
Credits:
Song/Acoustic Guitar/ Lead Vocals: Melissa Elliott
Guitar/backing vocals: Clay Humphrey
Slide guitar: Jack Eidemiller
Bass: Leif Routman
Drums: Ed Domer
Recording/Engineering: Aaron Davis (Three Hearted Recording)
Master: Brad Smailing (Evergroove)
Snow in Wyoming
December 2023 - I wrote “Snow in Wyoming” when I watched out the window while it snowed in October 2021. It was my second winter living back in my hometown after college and I was angry with winter. The longer I live in Wyoming, the more I realize I need to make peace with it because though it is long and treacherous it can also be peaceful and beautiful. Clay Humphrey and I recorded the song in his home studio and he arranged the song and contributed banjo, mandolin, violin, and vocals. Mixed by Joe Rudd. All recorded and crafted in Jackson Hole, WY.
Credits:
Lyrics/Acoustic Guitar/Lead Vocals: Melissa Elliott
Backing vocals/bass/banjo/mandolin: Clay Humphrey
Mix and Mastered: Joe Rudd
Snake Farm
August 2021 - This song in its original Ray Wylie Hubbard form was the anthem of my college years, my friends and I blasting it at our neighborhood bar and yelling at the top of our lungs. This song has been covered so many times, each version sounding similar to the original. So, I decided that Snake Farm needed a sultry indie-rock renaissance featuring hauntingly beautiful trumpet melodies and an infectious backbeat.
Credits:
Song by Ray Wylie Hubbard
Arrangement/Acoustic Guitar/Lead Vocals: Melissa Elliott
Trumpet/Backing Vocals: Brian Cogger
Bass: Ethan Michael
Drums: Chris Pannish
Mix and Master: Kevin Cincotta
Bittersweet EP
May 2020 - Soulful, thoughtful, and honest, "Bittersweet" is a time-capsule of songs written throughout my late college years and recorded weeks before graduation. The first two tracks "Doin' What You Do" and "Sleeping Alone" are heavily influenced by modern R&B and neo-soul artists such as Nai Palm and Emily King. The title track "Bittersweet" connects closer to my folk roots while "Passport Check" fits perfectly at the convergence of story telling and my jazz training. My band is a group of fiercely talented and ultra chill people who have been with me since day 1 of college and we've gotten to see each other bloom and grow and know each other through playing together. I am so grateful to have them on this project and bring these songs to life.
Credits:
Lyrics/Lead Vocals/Acoustic Guitar: Melissa Elliott
Keys/Alto Saxophone: Kevin Cincotta
Tenor Saxophone: Paige Billow
Bari Saxophone: Quinn Dymalski
Bass: Tucker Smidt
Drums: Adriana Perez
Mix and Master: Athena Wilkinson
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January 2019 - A collection of 3 songs in 3. Recorded in my childhood bedroom, these songs are a reflection from my 21 year old self navigating her way through anxiety, unrequited love, and the frequent dopamine rush that comes from thrift shopping.