Derek Nelson has been one of Chicago’s finest songwriters for about a decade now. He’s been the leader of at least two amazing bands, Derek Nelson & The Musicians and Martin Van Ruin, and is now releasing his debut solo album called Richer Soil. Last week he released the first single, “The Chosen Ones,” and today he is giving me the honor of premiering the second single, “U.R.Y.”

The tune carries itself like an island breeze lullaby of self-reflection. It’s a declaration of love in its purest form-the giver of purpose and direction. Nelson delivers a few lines of shocking honesty and vulnerability and continues to roll on so easily you have to go back and listen again to make sure you heard it right.

Early on he says “I met a million people, and five or six met me.” It’s a pretty universal feeling about how we carry ourselves and what we reveal to people versus what we keep inside which not many musicians speak. Later, he drops a gem when he sings “I was just a baby, when you walked through this mess/I’d seen the face of Hades, I came back unimpressed.”

Richer Soil is due out October 10th. If you’re in the Chicago area, you can catch Derek on stage at Schubas that same night! Tickets available here.