Leon Majcen Releases New Steel-Soaked Heartbreaker, “If That’s What It Takes”

Leon Majcen is gifting fans with a brand new one right off the heels of his last studio project, Better Days.

Earlier this spring, Leon Majcen proved to fans he was a songwriter to tune into with the release of his third studio project, Better Days. Majcen hails from the Gulf Coast city of Clearwater, FL, and elements of his coastal background are prevalent in his music, both sonically and thematically. Throughout Better Days, you can hear the strong influence from other singers and songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, and John Prine. His clever lyricism transports you to a specific time or place, creating a full-body image for the listener as the melodies play through their speakers.

After the release of Better Days, Majcen took virtually no time off, releasing his first single since the record only a few months later in July. Since then, he’s been on a roll, already announcing another record slated for a fall release. Talk about the ultimate treat of two records in one year.

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This past week, Majcen dropped the third single from this forthcoming record, after the release of “Don’t Leave The Light On” and “Down The Road.” The highly personal new track, titled “If That’s What It Takes,” came from a time when Majcen wasn’t fully pursuing music and trying to make it all work.

In the wallows of wondering if this was the right move for Majcen, he and his friend Presley Drake penned a song that is worth its weight in gold.

“I wrote this song with my good friend Presley Drake at a really low point in my life. I was low on money and working at a tree company in Nashville, trying to make sense of what I was exactly doing with my life and if this whole music thing was even worth pursuing.

One day, Presley came over with his guitar and a bottle of Mezcal. By the time the bottle was empty later that day, the song was finished. Even now, Presley and I agree there may never be another song we’re more proud of. Life really made me work for that one.”

Melodically, the song is slow and sad, and you can hear that feeling of loss as Majcen sings the melancholy tune, talking about losing a woman. While he notes that he tried to do everything he could to keep her around, even after all the work, reconciliations, and attempts to make it work, the relationship fell apart.

The narrator of the tune realizes that the relationship would not work, but he still loves her as a person and acknowledges that he may have to love her from afar, which is reflected in the song’s title, as that’s what it will take for him to move on.

“I can’t blame you for leaving
Didn’t give you much choice
I was dealing with demons
Couldn’t drown out the noise
Got a hold of tougue, 
The last thing I meant 
Was to hurt you

I said what I said
I ain’t sorry at all
Sold half of my soul
To be there at your beck and call
Gave all of your love to my half-filled heart
Lord knows we were getting to the point
It would all fall apart…”

The acoustic ballad is raw, honest, and the epitome of a sad country song that brings us immense happiness. The moan of the steel guitar in the melody does something to my soul, bringing the vulnerable lyrics to life.

Leon Majcen does not miss, and “If That’s What It Takes” is no exception. Turn it up.

Leon Majcen Confirmed Tour Dates

8/15 – Preservation Plaza – Arnolds Park, IA*
8/16 – McGrath Amphitheatre – Cedar Rapids, IA*
8/29 – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO+
9/4 – Uptown Theatre – Kansas City, MO%
9/6 – The White Horse – Austin, TX
9/13 – Down By The River Festival – Edmonton, AB, Canada
10/10 – Court Square Theater – Harrisonburg, VA
10/17 – Pueblo Memorial Hall – Pueblo, CO*
10/18 – The Lincoln – Cheyenne, WY*10/23 – Knitting Factory Concert House – Boise, ID*
10/24 & 10/25 – The Elm – Bozeman, MT*
10/30 – The Intersection – Grand Rapids, MI*
10/31 & 11/1 – Saint Andrew’s Hall – Detroit, MI*
11/6 – Petersen Events Center – Pittsburgh, PA%
11/7 – The Anthem – Washington, D.C.%
11/8 – Wolstein Center – Cleveland, OH%
11/11 – The Commonwealth Room – Salt Lake City, UT^
11/12 – Belly Up Aspen – Aspen, CO^
11/14 – Longhorn Ballroom – Dallas, TX^
11/15 – Emo’s – Austin, TX^
11/16 – John T. Floore’s Country Store – Helotes, TX^
11/19 & 11/20 – The Eastern – Atlanta, GA+
11/22 – St. Pete Country Festival – St. Petersburg, FL
12/5 – Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX+
12/12 – Jack Rabbits – Jacksonville, FL***
12/13 – The Merry Widow – Mobile, AL***

*support for Kip Moore
+support for Sam Barber
%support for Turnpike Troubadours
^support for Margo Price
***support for Liam St. JohnThe post Leon Majcen Releases New Steel-Soaked Heartbreaker, “If That’s What It Takes” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.