Photo by Ben Kaye

Hiss Golden Messenger’s M.C. Taylor released his latest album, Heart Like a Levee, this past October. A few tracks from the recording sessions didn’t make it onto the final LP, however, and today Taylor has shared one as a stand-alone single.

Despite the title, “Standing in the Doorway” isn’t a cover of the Bob Dylan track from 1997’s Time Out of Mind. Instead, it’s a contemplative indie folk rocker that sits back on impatient guitar lines as Taylor waits for a sign. “When you’re counting on luck, everything’s a sign,” he sings. “Everything’s a sign/ But in the interest of timing/ Please put me in line, babe.”

In a statement, Taylor said of the song,

“‘Standing in the Doorway’ was written and recorded during the making of Heart Like a Levee. I think I was trying to understand if and whether luck was related to my life at the time. I always liked this tune, but it didn’t seem to fit the emotional arc of that album for some reason. It also seemed like it could survive on its own, away from other songs that might give it context. Since Heart Like a Levee came out, a lot has changed in the world, of course. I’m currently writing this from the studio where we’re working on our next record and trying to live in this world with some kind of light.”

“Standing in the Doorway” is out now via Merge, and you can listen below.