Jamie and the Guarded Heart remember an influential family member in “Nikki Used to Play the Drums”

Consohocken heartland rockers Jamie and the Guarded Heart released a new song this week. “Nikki Used to Play the Drums” is a roots rocking track in memory of a musically-inclined loved one.

The video shows frontman Jamie Salvatore and bassist Morgan Russo lying on a hardwood floor. Vinyl records spin above their heads, they sing, and Salvatore plays a black Telecaster as the lyrics appear below him. The grainy sepia tone of the video, and the imagery of the floors, records, and guitars gives the video its vintage feel, accompanied by throwback lyrics like “I picture you in ’82 / Making friends with the band.” Salvatore’s voice is gentler than most of his contemporaries, like Brian Fallon and Dave Hause, especially when paired with Russo’s, and the result makes “Nikki” that much sweeter.

Salvatore says of the song, “‘Nikki Used to Play the Drums’ is a song I wrote about my Aunt Nikki. She passed away from cancer a few years ago but when she was alive, she was a firecracker. Everybody loved her. She was rock ‘n’ roll through and through, no apologies, all heart. I miss her. And I miss the way she talked and moved. But mostly I miss the feeling that she gave me, the feeling of invincibility and freedom. People like that don’t come around often but when they do, they leave a mark.”

Watch the video for “Nikki Used to Play the Drums” below.