Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset — what an album title! It belongs to Richard Edwards, former frontman for the also memorably named Indiana indie-folk outfit Margot And The Nuclear So And So’s. Edwards recorded the album with Beck/Elliott Smith/Joyce Manor producer Rob Schnapf in Los Angeles last year while recovering from C. Diff, a lower intestinal infection that almost brought his music career to a premature conclusion. His marriage also ended during the making of the album. It sounds like an extremely harrowing time, and in an essay for The Talkhouse, Edwards explained that it generated one of those albums that almost kills you:

There’s a dirty secret among songwriters. Some records you make because it’s been a couple of years and you have some songs that you think are pretty good. Others burn a hole inside of you so hot that you’ll do anything to get them out. It’s these records over which you obsess — they make you crazy and you develop ulcers. They kill some people. Getting them right is more important than food or air. No sacrifice is too great when it comes to their completion.

The last addition to the album was “Lil Dead Eye-d.” It’s an aching folk-pop ballad with a gently gorgeous arrangement, like Ryan Adams’ “Oh My Sweet Carolina” as reimagined by Iron & Wine. Edwards shared some context on the song via email:

I wrote this song a couple days after landing in Los Angeles for the final sessions for Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset. I wasn’t feeling very good mentally and was missing someone. Once the song was finished, it felt like I could put the guitar away for awhile ‘cuz the album didn’t need any more songs. I reckon I said the last thing I needed to express for this record.

Hear “Lil Dead Eye-d” below along with previous single “Disappeared Planets.”

Richard Edwards tour dates:

02/16-18 Davenport, IA @ GAS Feed & Seed Festival

04/01 Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade

Lemon Cotton Candy Sunset is out 3/31 on Joyful Noise. Pre-order it here.