#82 - Marissa Nadler - Drive
"Drive" - how the dream folk artist created her haunting comeback anthem after a hiatus from music, setting the tone for her career-defining July album with producer Randall Dunn in 2014.
Story Behind "Drive" by Marissa Nadler
The Spectral Opening That Marked a New Era
"Drive" emerged as the opening statement of Marissa Nadler's most transformative period. In 2014, the Boston-based dream folk artist was recording her sixth album July after taking a break from music for a tiny bit, feeling discouraged. The song became the thesis statement for an album that would mark the start of a whole new era both in terms of my life and my songwriting career. Written during a period of personal upheaval following her July 4, 2012 breakup, "Drive" captures the liminal space between despair and renewal with characteristically stark imagery ("Waiting for the light...nothing like the way it feels to drive") that relocates her typically graveyard-bound narratives to the lost highway.
From Hiatus to Rebirth
The creation of "Drive" coincided with a pivotal moment in Nadler's career. After working as a special needs arts teacher in Massachusetts, she received emails from both Sacred Bones and Bella Union during her lunch break, reigniting her belief that my songs were worth putting out. This dual label interest represented a dramatic shift from her previous self-releasing struggles and provided the foundation for what would become her most acclaimed work. As she recalled, I came back to my song craft with all of the fire and more self-belief. In part by seeing how important art and music truly was in a society as a teacher.
"Drive" Recording and Production Details
Randall Dunn's Atmospheric Alchemy
Recorded at Seattle's Avast Studios and produced by Randall Dunn, "Drive" showcased a new collaborative approach for Nadler. Dunn, known for his work with Earth, Sunn O))), and Wolves in the Throne Room, matches Nadler's darkness by creating a multi-colored sonic palette that infuses new dimensions into her songs. The production featured Eyvind Kang's strings, Steve Moore's synths, and Phil Wandscher's guitar lines that created what one critic described as a sanctuary, a safe haven, for her to sing these 11 measured, stately compositions.
Multi-Tracked Vocals and Ghostly Textures
The recording process emphasized Nadler's voice as the central instrument, with Dunn achieving what Blurt's Steven Rosen noted as an "almost-hallucinatory effect out of her singing, often multi-tracking the voice to create a ghostly pillowing effect". This technique gave "Drive" its otherworldly quality, supported by Marissa Nadler on vocals, acoustic guitar, 12-string guitar, with Jonas Haskins on bass, synth bass, Jason Kardong on pedal steel guitar, Steve Moore on keyboards, and Pat Schowe on drums. The result was a sound that Noisey described as having "deadliness to her sound" while maintaining her spectral, siren-like vocal presence.
Notes About "Drive" by Marissa Nadler
Release Date: February 4, 2014 (North America), February 10, 2014 (UK)
Duration: 5:36
Genre: Dream Folk / Indie Folk / Dark Folk
Album: July (6th studio album)
Producer: Randall Dunn
Labels: Sacred Bones Records (US), Bella Union (UK)
Chart Performance: Album debuted #16 Billboard Folk Albums, #14 Billboard Top Heatseekers
Marissa Nadler "Drive" Era Band Details
Album Details
Album: July
Release Date: February 4, 2014 (US), February 10, 2014 (UK)
Labels: Sacred Bones Records, Bella Union
Producer: Randall Dunn
Recording Location: Avast Studios, Seattle, WA
Album Concept: Breakup album exploring personal renewal and transformation
Critical Reception: Metacritic score of 83/100, called "one of 2014's best albums"
Band Members/Personnel
Marissa Nadler - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, 12-String Guitar, Songwriter
Randall Dunn - Producer, Recording, Mixing
Eyvind Kang - Viola, Violin, String Arrangements
Steve Moore - Piano, Keyboards, Synthesizers
Phil Wandscher - Electric Guitar
Jonas Haskins - Bass, Synth Bass
Randall P. Schowe - Drums
Jay Kardong - Pedal Steel Guitar
Jason Ward - Mastering (Chicago Mastering)
Album Production Notes
First collaboration with producer Randall Dunn, marking new sonic direction
Emphasis on atmospheric production combining folk intimacy with cinematic scope
Featured guest musicians from Seattle's experimental music scene
Marked Nadler's transition from self-releasing to major label support
Album called a "triumph" by PopMatters and "masterfully composed release" by Spin
Represented artistic rebirth following temporary break from music career
Interesting Facts About "Drive"
The Father John Misty Connection
"Drive" gained additional recognition when Father John Misty covered the track for a split 7-inch released on Bella Union in July 2014, while Nadler covered "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings". This cross-pollination between indie folk artists highlighted the song's impact beyond Nadler's core fanbase and demonstrated how "Drive" had become representative of a new wave of atmospheric songwriting. The collaboration occurred just months after July's release, showing the immediate resonance the track found within the indie music community.
The Demo That Came Full Circle
The enduring power of "Drive" was confirmed in 2024 when Sacred Bones released a 10th anniversary deluxe edition pressed on silver vinyl, with exclusive alternate art and a special flexi that contains an unreleased demo version of the albums iconic opener "Drive". This anniversary treatment recognized the song's status as not just an album opener, but as a defining moment in Nadler's career - the track that announced her evolution from underground folk artist to a songwriter whose work could command critical acclaim and sustained label support. The demo version revealed the song's essential power even in its rawest form, proving that the atmospheric production enhanced rather than created its haunting core.