TAMWORTH AND INADEQUACY: A CONVERSATION WITH PRESTON LYDOTES
photo by Asher Thomas
When he’s not defying his lifelong identity as a self-proclaimed “Masshole,” Preston Lydotes can be found deep in the woods of Tamworth, New Hampshire, soaking up inspiration—or reminiscing about listening to Coldplay’s Parachutes on repeat in his 2004 Honda CRV.
From falling in love with the Beatles at a young age to reveling in the words of Chris Martin, Lydotes’ passion for music has always been a pillar in his life. With his own project, Lydotes strives to capture emotion and feelings of vulnerability, aspiring to the authenticity his astrological twin, Martin, so effortlessly conveys.
“Just having the emotional sensibility and wisdom that he [Chris Martin] really stuck with me. I’m a Pisces, so we’re always in our feels.”
photo by Asher Thomas
It wasn’t until COVID-19 forced the world into quarantine that Lydotes began recording his own music. Between listening to Nirvana, Radiohead, and Phoebe Bridgers and experimenting with his Yamaha MX88, he launched his music career and started figuring it all out.
“I would start to brainstorm arrangements for songs I had come up with on guitar and vocals and was like ‘Woah, this is so cool.’ It was just so cool to create a universe around the songs that just bring it to the next level.”
Lydotes released his first EP, Is There Anyone?, in 2023 and has spent the past few years honing his artistry. After graduating from Berklee College of Music with a degree in Independent Recording, Producing, and Songwriting, he began work on his sophomore EP.
In his latest single, “The Critic in Me,” set to release on January 24, Lydotes delves into themes of inadequacy and self-doubt. Mixed by his Grammy-winning professor Ariel Borujow, the track is polished yet deeply earnest. Opening with gentle guitar and raw vocals, the song gradually unfolds into a laid-back, head-bopping tune. The twangy, hand-clapping chorus and relatable lyrics—“I know I’m impatient, and the internet’s a lie, but someone’s gotta tell me I’ll be alright”—create a catchy anthem that will be stuck in your head while you overthink, battle imposter syndrome, and inevitably feel inadequate.
“I’m an internal optimist, but I’m also really harsh with myself. I want to explore that dichotomy as an artist. I feel this pull to keep going. It’s my most truthful form of expression.”
To date, Lydotes has released two of the five songs from his upcoming EP. Each track will debut as a single before being rearranged into a cohesive narrative for the final EP, set to release in early spring 2025. Fans can catch Lydotes performing with a full band at The Rockwell on February 6, kicking off what promises to be a pivotal year for the rising artist.
