A few weeks ago when I caught him at Green River Festival, Luke Tyler Shelton had a guitar in his hands for every song. “Reasons,” his first release of the year out now via Concord Records, finds him at the piano instead, and the shift suits him well.
The song is simple in the best possible way. Piano-forward with strings backing the whole thing up, it carries a laid-back, slightly dreamy atmosphere that sounds somewhere between classic 80s singer-songwriter pop and early Billy Joel. It’s warm and nostalgic, sounding like a song you swear you’ve heard somewhere before. Shelton has spoken about drawing inspiration from Harry Nilsson and Todd Rundgren for his music, and those touchstones come through clearly without the song ever feeling like a copy of their work.
The backstory behind it adds some important context. Shelton wrote “Reasons” from the perspective of his girlfriend during a difficult stretch in their relationship. For him, it was an exercise in empathy that he says allowed him to understand her experience in a way he otherwise might not have. That emotional grounding gives the song its bittersweet quality, even when the arrangement itself feels gentle and easygoing.
The music video, directed by Isaiah Hesford and Jake Howell and shot in black and white, is as charming as the song. Shelton sits at the piano while a miniature version of his girlfriend does everything in her power to get his attention from her perch on top of it. It’s playful and cinematic, and exactly the right visual for a song this understated.
Shelton will open for Wilderado in Aspen later this month before continuing his run as Malcolm Todd’s touring guitarist. “Reasons” is out now on all platforms.
Check out Luke Tyler Shelton’s upcoming tour dates here.
Featured Photo Credit: Magnolia Ellenburg
Nathan Smith is a Providence-based music photographer and journalist focusing on capturing the special moments and unfiltered magic of live performances. Whether he’s shooting established artists at sold-out TD Garden shows or documenting the rise of emerging local bands, his goal is the same: to pull viewers directly into the heart of the moment.
His writing spotlights rising artists and local scenes, with a focus on telling the stories that often get overlooked. A lifelong music fan and musician himself, Nathan approaches interviews and portraits as conversations rather than transactions, building trust with artists so their genuine personalities can shine through. Whether he’s backstage, in the photo pit, or at home in front of the keyboard, he brings the same curiosity and care to every assignment.
Outside of his press work with Juice Box Press, Nathan works regularly as a photographer with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as numerous bands in the Boston and Providence area. Nathan also plays violin with a local orchestra, follows Celtics basketball almost religiously, and is an avid fantasy reader.