Guitarist, singer and a founding member of New York City’s Spin Doctors, Eric Schenkman is back with “Cold Little Feelings,” the only shuffle on his upcoming album, Ten Smiles, out on January 27th, 2027. Its catchy chorus asks: Is it worth staying with all these cold little feelings?
Written spontaneously on a winter afternoon, “Cold Little Feelings” leans into a loose rolling Texas blues giving it an easy momentum that contrasts with the frustration expressed in the lyrics. The gang-style backing vocals lend a confrontational energy to the chorus, a standout feature in the song’s matter-of-fact arrangement.
Ultimately, “Cold Little Feelings” reflects Schenkman’s enduring connection to the blues as a way of processing life’s frustrations so that by the end, you leave feeling pretty optimistic.
As with the rest of the record, Schenkman wanted the recording to feel immediate and unprecious, prioritizing natural groove over excessive polish. One of its defining features is the gang-style backing vocals, which lend a playful, confrontational energy to the chorus. For Schenkman, those collective voices recall the feeling of getting even with someone in the schoolyard.
That combination of humour and irritation also comes through in the song’s imagery, particularly the unexpected chill of an icicle in May. Schenkman even acknowledges a recurring habit in his songwriting: his tendency to reference trains, something he calls attention to right from the opening.
Beneath its laidback groove is a song about recognizing when something isn’t right, wrestling with the urge to walk away, and finding a little humour in the process.
Eric Schenkman is best known for his work with Spin Doctors, formed in 1986 and responsible for global hits including “Two Princes,” “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues,” “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” “What Time Is It?” and “Off My Line.”
Growing up in Toronto after his father, Peter Schenkman, joined the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as principal cellist in 1967, Schenkman’s musical foundation was shaped by both North American rock and classical lineage.
Throughout his career, Schenkman has collaborated with artists including Kip Hanrahan, Phoebe Snow, Carly Simon, and Natalie Merchant, appearing on Merchant’s acclaimed album Tigerlily. He also contributed to the 1995 orchestral tribute project In From the Storm, reimagining the work of Jimi Hendrix.
In 2019, Schenkman released his debut solo album Who Shot John?, followed by Spin Doctors’ 2023 return Face Full of Cake via Capitol Records.
With “Cold Little Feelings,” Schenkman brings his love of the blues to the forefront, delivering a loose, soulful shuffle that finds plenty of groove in life’s less-than-pleasant moments.
Eric Schenkman is available through Slammin Media, with global distribution via Believe.
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