Lonely Dirt Road is a touching contemplation on the silent, and frequently harsh, cycle of healing and self-realization. The song was created at the time when Dax started to make mental health walks which eventually resulted in longer morning drives so the song reflects the burden of being alone and finding clarity. He observes that the older a person gets, the longer the drives appear to be, as a symbol of the interminable practice of going through the personal crises.
The song was produced by LexNour and was recorded in Missoula, Montana, and it starts off with a slow, immersive build which instantly provides a reflective atmosphere. The vocals of Dax are steady and piercing through the laid-back instrumentation, leading the listeners into the vulnerable area that he creates. His presentation is too full of sincerity and heart–the words have the weight of a man who has survived in the struggle he is recounting.
As the song unfolds, its mood shifts like the stages of an internal battle. The serene introduction is indicative of such stillness of contemplation, and the accelerating tempo of the bridge is indicative of the in-storming that frequently accompanies struggles with mental health. Dax in that part swells his voice with urgency and crude emotionality, which is the perfect expression of frustration and tiredness of bearing invisible loads.
Lonely Dirt Road is about isolation, survival and development. It tells the audience that the journey to recovery can seem long and barren, but it is also on this road that we can usually find the strength to continue. Dax reaches out to any person struggling with similar struggles by being honest and straightforward by sharing his own journey both physically and emotionally to demonstrate that being vulnerable and strong at the same time is not a bad thing.
Lonely Dirt Road is thus far one of the most introspective pieces of Dax. It is not merely a song to listen to but to experience, particularly those who do have experience of the silent burden of mental health challenges.
