Rooted in memory yet reaching toward new horizons, “Small Town America” marks the debut EP of Peech., an artist unafraid to blend vulnerability with ambition. Across six tracks, the project explores nostalgia, regret, resilience, and transformation. From confessional moments in “Got It All Wrong” to the raw honesty of “Tomorrow’s,” the record embraces imperfection as part of the journey, reflecting the struggles, contradictions, and quiet triumphs that define life in and beyond small-town America. As the first chapter in a larger story, “Small Town America” stands as both an homage to the past and a declaration of intent for the future.
When speaking with Peech., the artist shared his thoughts on returning to roots, capturing the bittersweet dualities of hometown life, and how the process of creating this debut has shaped the next steps in his musical path. With Volume 2 already underway and performances lined up in Utah and Nashville, it’s clear this is only the beginning of a narrative that's far beyond its setting.
“Small Town America” feels like both a personal reflection and a universal story. What was the moment you knew this was the project you wanted to lead with as your debut EP?
This past year, I’ve felt the pull to return to my roots, to that small mountain town in Utah where it all began. I was just a kid with big dreams, making some questionable choices along the way, but always holding tight to a vision of something more. That hunger to explore, to create, and to grow never left me.
Like so many who are raised in small towns, I was torn between the fear of leaving and the fear of staying. I didn’t always know where I fit in, and sometimes I still don’t, but I’ve learned to be okay with that. Because chasing what you love, even with all the uncertainty, is what makes the journey worth it. This EP is paying homage to that and to all those out there facing the same questions, obstacles, and calls to change. These are the stories of my life growing up in Small Town America—the first few chapters of a book that folks from another American small town will know all too well.
“Got It All Wrong” and “Tomorrow’s” bookend the opening of Small Town America. How did structuring the EP with these two songs shape the emotional journey you wanted the listener to take?
Starting the EP with “Got It All Wrong” was intentional. That song is like an emotional confession; it’s me laying it all out. The lyrics, like "Don’t open the shades, I like when it's dark in here," set the tone. It’s not just about physical darkness, but it’s about being in a space where you’re facing everything you’ve buried: regret, disconnection, and choices that took you further from the people or things that mattered most.
There’s a moment in the song where I sing, “Now I'm where I wanted to be, without the one I wanted here all along,” and that line really sums it up. You can chase success, recognition, or escape and still end up feeling empty if you lost something real along the way. Structuring the EP with this song first was about starting from that low point, that realization. It’s not polished or triumphant; it’s vulnerable. And I think that honesty invites the listener in.
“Tomorrow’s” felt like a good follow-up because it captures the next piece of that emotional journey. Not in resolution, but being self-aware. After all the reflection and regret in “Got It All Wrong,” this track is about honesty without the filter. It’s raw, tired, and real. The lyric, "I know I said I’d quit tomorrow… a couple tomorrows ago," says everything. It’s about the promises we make to ourselves when we’re trying to change—and the times we break them. It’s messy, which feels true to life.
There’s this theme of coming and going. With lyrics like "People come and people go, some good, some bad, I'm a little bit of both," that line really sticks with me. It reflects the way small towns can feel like revolving doors: people chasing dreams, people stuck in cycles, people leaving, and some never coming back. That duality of being both the good and the bad, the one who stays and the one who runs, lives in me, and I think a lot of people relate to that.
Across six tracks, the EP weaves themes of nostalgia and transformation. Was there a song on this project that challenged you the most to write or record?
There really wasn’t any specific song that challenged me too much; it all just poured out of me. I think the true challenge was picking the right songs to tell the beginning of the story and show multiple sides of who I am and where I came from.
When you think about the title “Small Town America,” what images or feelings come to mind that you wanted to capture through music?
The feelings that come to mind are rooted in nostalgia—a simpler time, the slower pace of childhood, and the small-town community where everyone knows each other. It’s a bittersweet mix of beauty and familiarity, paired with the limitations and longing to leave.
“Don’t Miss Your Moment” is about seizing opportunities. How does that message reflect where you are in your own journey?
These past few years of making music and chasing this dream have shown me how important it is to truly go for it and to trust yourself to take a risk that may or may not pan out. I think we all are scared to take that leap of faith out of worries that we may not make it to the other side, but the failures are just as important, if not more important, than the successes. I’m at a place in my journey where I find myself saying yes to a lot of things that might scare me or push me out of my comfort zone, but I'm really enjoying it. There is so much out there to experience, and you’ll never know if something's meant for you until you take that step.
Is Small Town America more about leaving home or about learning to carry it with you wherever you go?
I’d say it's about learning to carry it with you, to hold true to the place that shaped you while also allowing yourself to explore. I wanted to create a journey through the small-town memories and the dreams that growing up in a small town cultivated. A story of moving forward and letting go of heartache and hardships while still holding on to the warmth of home. It’s about missing the beauty, the connections, and the moments that shaped you and moving on to discover love, life, and new beginnings in unexpected places.
Looking past Volume 1, what’s next in your artistic story? Are you already thinking about Small Town America Volume 2, or exploring different musical territories or collaborations?
Moving forward, I plan to continue this story and to give back to the world the only way I know how, through music. With that being said, Small Town America Volume 2 is already almost done. I’m creating every day and challenging myself to continue going to dive deeper into my emotions and thought process. I am excited to be announcing some upcoming collaborations and more shows soon. I am excited to be announcing some upcoming collaborations and more shows soon. I'll be performing in Utah at Soundwell SLC on August 21st for my EP Release Show, and then I'll be heading to Nashville for my Whiskey Jam debut on August 28th!
For more information on Peech. visit his website, Facebook, Instagram, and/or TikTok.
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