PREMIERE: Clover County Shares the Deliciously Dreamy 'Sweeter' ahead of the Release of Debut Album Finer Things

There aren't many artists we'd want to watch twice, let alone three times in one afternoon, but at AmericanaFest we did exactly that when we completed the Clover County trifecta in a five hour stretch that took us from WMOT's day stage at Riverside Revival to Jack Van Cleef's Ameri-Kinda House Party in East Nashville before we finished up in Imogen & Willie's fairy light lit backyard as the sun went down.

“Clover County" is the nom de plume of A.G. Schiano, a singer songwriter from the 'Theme Park Capital of the World', Orange County, Florida, who began songwriting at the age of 13, teaching herself to play from her dad’s collection of 1980’s songbooks and drawing inspiration from documentaries and interviews with influential women in music, such as Stevie Nicks, Carole King, Taylor Swift, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dolly Parton.

She's been out on the road with everyone from Sam Barber and Sydney Rose to Willi Carlisle and Shakey Graves this year after releasing a handful of near perfect country folk singles leading up to her debut EP Porch Lights in November last year and now she prepares to release her full-length debut, Finer Things, on 26 September.

She calls her sound "bootgaze" because it's a mix of everything from indie pop and folk to old school country and americana, all the way through to dream pop.

“It started as a way to describe my music, but now I like to think of it as me reflecting on my thoughtful lyrics while staring down at the cute boots I’m wearing,” she laughs.

Inspired by the winking charm of influences like Sheryl Crow and The Chicks, Clover blends the twang of timeless country songwriting with tongue-in-cheek observations on modern love. On Finer Things, Clover found a dream partner in producer Carrie K (Noah Kahan, Jessie Murph, Maggie Antone), who took seriously her intention to honour her experiences of girlhood, heartbreak and love in all its forms.

“I set out to protect the femininity of these songs to honor the little girl I used to be,” Clover says. “I wanted to let the songs be sweet and youthful, and Carrie gave me the space to do that.”

We're thrilled to be able to share the album's second song, 'Sweeter,' exclusively on Holler today. A deliciously dreamy slice of moony indie folk that sounds like a cross between Megan Moroney and Mazzy Star it stars Clover County as the incurable romantic trying to perfect the recipe for true love.

"I thought I'd bake you cookies / but maybe just store bought," she sings in her soft Georgia twang. "I'd steal my mama's recipe but that would say a lot / If you add too much too quickly it's hard to take it back / So I scoop sugar by the spoonful and put it right back in the bag."

"Sweeter" was the first love song I wrote after a brutal breakup. What started as something 'casual' quickly turned into home-cooked dinners and meeting the parents - within just a few shacked-up days," she explains about the song. "I knew I wasn’t ready to be anybody’s anything, but part of me hoped that, with time, I could be again. While writing, I kept thinking about how love—real, genuine love—needs care, patience, and space to become something sweet and lasting. I channeled a little Dolly Parton wit and warmth into the song, and brought the first verse and chorus to co-writers Carrie K and Steph Jones. Together, we finished up a sweet and hopeful tune. An hour after the session, I sent the demo to the guy it was about, and then the next day, he told me he was getting back with his ex. I packed up and drove five hours home without saying goodbye. After a few days, I rewrote the bridge and the final verse—turning my soft and clever love song into my most bittersweet."

Watch the lyric video for 'Sweeter' below

Finer Things is released on 26 September via Clover County’s own Undercover Lover Records and Thirty Tigers.