B-Side Guys

The grandest emotions often find their truest expression in the smallest details. On “Lightbulb,” the final preview of their debut album Back to Back, Vermont-based singer-songwriter Reid Parsons (they/she) transforms the humble ceiling fixture into a profound emblem of enduring affection, crafting a musical environment as intricate and delicate as the sentiment it captures.

Parsons’ decision to center their love song around “a little lightbulb on the ceiling” rather than more extravagant imagery represents a deliberate rejection of romantic hyperbole. “There are no chandeliers or fancy LEDs in this picture,” they explain, “Just a warm, steady glow—something simple but lasting.” This metaphorical choice reflects the songwriter’s broader artistic philosophy: finding profundity in the quotidian, beauty in sustainability rather than spectacle.

Musically, “Lightbulb” defies conventional folk categorization through its architectural complexity. Built atop a crisp, hip-hop-inspired rhythmic foundation, the arrangement weaves fingerpicked acoustic guitar and metronomic keys into a structural framework that supports more ethereal elements—drifting pedal steel, classical cello runs, and sparkling guitar flourishes. The result achieves what Parsons describes as “a little, delicate but ornately decorated music box,” a sonic space both grounded and dreamlike.

What makes the track particularly compelling is how it embodies its subject matter. Written for “a special person’s special day—one they pretend isn’t special at all,” the composition balances earnest romanticism with restraint, mirroring the character of someone “bursting with hope but [wearing] a layer of playful cynicism to keep things in check.” This duality manifests in the contrast between the song’s meticulous structure and its more improvisational elements.

Engineered by Ben Collette (known for work with Trey Anastasio and Sharon Jones) and recorded live to tape at Burlington’s Tank Recording Studio, “Lightbulb” showcases the musical versatility Parsons developed through diverse influences. Raised on Lucinda Williams and Steely Dan, formally trained in classical composition, and seasoned by fronting a 13-piece soul band, Parsons creates music that respectfully acknowledges these traditions without being bound by any single one.

As they prepare for a series of Vermont performances celebrating Back to Back—funded through crowdsourcing and supported by day jobs in farming and food systems—”Lightbulb” stands as evidence that Parsons’ artistic voice merits wider recognition beyond their home state’s borders. Like the modest fixture it celebrates, this song offers steady illumination rather than fleeting brilliance—an artistic choice that feels increasingly radical in an age of constant dazzle.