Jersey City singer-songwriter Eddie Skuller presents ‘You Can Never Hold Back Spring’, a fine rendition of one of Tom Waits’ most quietly affecting songs, revealing a gentler side of Waits’ catalog, where grit gives way to tenderness and reflection. Following ‘Downtown Train’, this is the second offering from his ‘Blind Love’ EP, bringing a raw, analog intimacy to these compositions, exploring the space between homage and reinvention.
This four-track personal tribute to Waits’ songwriting revisits a storyteller with a rare ability to capture human character, emotion and melody, as well as his ability to find beauty and humanity in unexpected places. With his own unique vocal style, Skuller performs ‘You Can Never Hold Back Spring’ with reverence, restraint and emotional intelligence, allowing the song’s emotional complexity to emerge through a delivery that favors intimacy over imitation.
In addition to his solo work, Skuller is a perennial guest vocalist with The Losers Lounge, the acclaimed tribute series curated by The Psychedelic Furs’ Joe McGinty and regularly held at Joe’s Pub and City Winery in NYC. His live performances have drawn praise for their authenticity, emotional clarity, and musical integrity.
For this EP, Skuller worked with producer Nick Kinsey, known for his work with Kevin Morby, Waxahatchee and Scott McMickey, who helped shape a recording that embraces the spontaneity and imperfections of analog production.
Skuller re-centers the songs around narrative and feeling, revealing layers of tenderness, nostalgia, and quiet hope. Captured without edits or vocal overdubs, the track preserves the spontaneity of the recording, with Skuller’s vocal captured live with the band. The arrangement also features Ryder Cooley of the Dust Bowl Faeries on accordion, Kinsey on drums and keyboards, Jack Skuller on guitars, and Jeremy Chatzky (Springsteen, Steve Earle, Ronnie Spector) on bass.
“What makes this recording experience unique for me is that it was recorded live in studio to tape. I wanted Nick Kinsey to produce because I was familiar with his aesthetic sensibilities and the warmth that analog recording can provide. The songs became meditative dirges and the lyrics read as pure poetry,” says Eddie Skuller.
“There’s a key line in this song that hooks me every time I hear it: ‘even though you’ve lost your way, the world is dreaming, dreaming of spring. Using spring for a sense of renewal, hope, and a chance to reset—it’s as memorable and moving as any classic jazz-pop standard such as Sinatra’s ‘Young at Heart.’”
The music video grew out of a creative connection sparked through social media. Skuller discovered SPX ETC, founded by artist Sandrine Pagnoux and photographer/editor Sophie Etchart, after encountering Sandrine’s Tom Waits editorial work for 46pgs magazine. Skuller shares, “I followed them on Instagram with the thought that I’d someday have the opportunity to work with them”.
Ceating a dreamlike world blending collage, illustration, photography, typography, and animation, Sandrine developed the artwork using Sophie’s photography, while Sophie assembled and refined the final piece. Throughout the video, manipulated self-portraits of Skuller also appear through Sandrine’s distinctive approach. Pagnoux explains, “The lyrics are pure poetry. Joy, renewal and hope will always return after periods of darkness. Eddie’s emotional cover is magical and full of deep feelings.”
As of July 29th, ‘You Can Never Hold Back Spring’ is available everywhere digitally, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where ‘Downtown Train’ can also be found. The ‘Blind Love’ EP will be released on August 26th.
TRACK LIST
01 Eddie Skuller – Blind Love.mp3
02 Eddie Skuller – Downtown Train.mp3
03 Eddie Skuller – House Where Nobody Lives.mp3
04 Eddie Skuller – You Can Never Hold Back Spring.mp3
CREDITS
Written by Tom Waits & Kathleen Brennan
Produced & Mixed by Nick Kinsey at the Chicken Shack Studio, New York
Mastered by Christopher Colbert at National Freedom Studio, Oregon
Eddie Skuller – vocals
Jeremy Chatzky – bass
Jack Skuller – guitar
Nick Kinsey – drums, percussion, keyboards
Ryder Cooley – accordion
Single cover photo & design by SPX ETC
EP cover photo and design by Eddie Skuller
Video produced by Sophie Etchart & Sandrine Pagnoux for SPX ETC
Photos by Eddie Skuller
Publicity by Shameless Promotion PR