Caution to the Wind - Side A

Side A is the first half of Phil Pickens’ new album, Caution to the Wind.
Across five songs, Pickens moves between memory, love, and the uncertainty of what’s to come.

Track 1: “Gwinnett Mall” starts at Gwinnett Place Mall, a now-abandoned shopping center outside Atlanta that was featured in Stranger Things. Drawing on Pickens’ childhood memories of trips there—the arcade, favorite cassette tapes, and pinball machines—the song travels with Pickens’ from Atlanta to West Harlem, New York. From adolescence to adulthood, it connects the memories and routines that stay with us for a lifetime. The song ends with a field recording of the 7 p.m. COVID cheers in New York City in 2020.

Track 2: “Walk Away” begins with a fight that hasn’t happened yet: “I don’t want to be the one to walk away.” It captures the messy collision of love, defensiveness, and self-doubt that can turn even good intentions into conflict. The song reckons with the expectation that the people we love will counter our worst decisions and make us better, when sometimes all we can do is choose to stay.

Track 3: “Perfect Work of Art” is a promise to protect what you love while giving it room to grow. The song evolved through years of live performances, taking different forms along the way—from a barn-stomper to a brooding ballad. At its heart, the song embraces an apparent contradiction: no person—or work of art—is ever truly perfect, and that’s exactly as it should be.

Track 4: “Lovesick” is a love song disguised as a sick day. Fever, chills, shaking, and body aches become the physical symptoms of falling hard for someone, turning the familiar language of illness into something soulful, yearning, and unexpectedly tender.

Track 5: “Grandad’s Wine” is a song about Phil’s grandparents, their life together, and the summers he spent with them in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Georgia. His grandfather made his own wine—fermented, aged, and far too sweet—and spoiled the grandkids with candy and loud toys while his grandmother quietly kept her secrets. The song holds onto those memories: a garden, a bottle of homemade wine, a box of childhood keepsakes, and the hope that, somewhere beyond this life, they found each other again.

About Phil

Phil Pickens writes songs that find meaning in ordinary moments. Raised outside Atlanta and now based in New York City, the indie folk-rock songwriter pairs poetic storytelling with warm, organic arrangements that linger long after the final note.

Reuniting with Grammy Award-winning producer James Frazee, he approached Caution to the Wind with patience, building it from the ground up. Beginning with the rhythm section, the album was tracked live, favoring feel over polish and allowing the songs to breathe. Rolling out across two sides, Caution to the Wind moves between memory, relationships, longing, and quiet forward motion, capturing the complicated ways we hold onto the past while continuing to move ahead.

Career Highlights

Selected by WFUV and NPR's Tiny Desk Contest as one of New York City's Top 3 Bands; performed at the Gibson Guitars New York showroom (formerly The Hit Factory studios). Former residencies at Pete’s Candy Store and Rockwood Music Hall. Featured in tribute nights at Joe’s Pub and C’mon Everybody. A regular presence on stages including the Knitting Factory, Littlefield, Bowery Palace, and Union Hall.

Selected Press

“Sentimental folk rock with vivid storytelling and infectious melodies”
— Glide Magazine, on “Gwinnett Mall”

“An articulate storyteller, with lyrics that paint a vivid picture in every song.”
— Music Mecca, on “Lovesick”

“Tender and croon-worthy”
— Tinnitist, on “Lovesick”

“Big-Hearted, Rootsy”
— NPR, on Tiny Desk Best of NYC Showcase

Press & Assets

Press Contact
phil@philpickens.com