Photo courtesy of Press Here Publicity

“Dirty Work,” the first single from Sydney Wayser’s upcoming third album Bell Choir Coast, proves yet again that when aiming for the rumbling gothic-Americana sweet spot, it’s best not to skimp on the organ. Even if it isn’t cooperating at first.

“I remember when we were recording the producer, Dan Molad, stopped in the middle of playback,” the New York by way of Los Angeles songwriter says. “I looked over at him to see what the problem was and he was bent over an old Juno (the Canadian equivalent of a Grammy) with pens and any other sharp object he could find, working like a madman to move the broken knobs.  After a few minutes he hit a key and he had made that organ magic!”

Carefully stuffed with loping guitars and tumbleweed atmosphere, “Dirty Work” is a love song, but according to Wayser, who co-wrote it with her friend Adam Tressler, there’s a suitably stark worldview.

“For me the song is about loving someone so passionately that you would prefer to do the ‘worse of the evils’ so that they can be saved.  We drew inspiration from Bonnie and Clyde and tried to come up with an interesting dynamic between the couple,” says Wayser. “What if every time they went to rob a bank Bonnie made Clyde stay behind to make sure his karma was clean?  What if she loved him more than herself?”

Bell Choir Coast arrives on Silent Parade Records on March 27.