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Few songwriters are willing to open the lid on the hard things — the inherited pain, the quiet sacrifices, the stories families bury but never forget. With “The Trunk,” Utah Burgess of Noble Hops does exactly that. Released intentionally on Veterans Day, the song dives into generational trauma, working-class struggle, and the complicated aftermath of service and sacrifice. In this candid conversation, Burgess reflects on the real-life experiences that shaped the track, the responsibility of telling difficult truths, and where Noble Hops is headed next.
Q: “The Trunk” is such a powerful story about family, loss, and generational trauma. What inspired you personally to write this song, and how much of it draws from real experiences or people in your life?
Utah: All of it comes from living and witnessing those very things — loss, trauma, hard times, struggle. Those are things that everyone deals with. I don’t think any of us are exempt from that. Perhaps the difference is in the “how” we deal with them.
Q: The song’s release this past Veterans Day feels intentional. How do you hope the message of “The Trunk” resonates with veterans and their families who might be living through similar struggles today?
Utah: The release date was intentional. I have had the honor and privilege of knowing and working with several vets throughout my life. Some of their stories are certainly included in this song.
Q: You’ve said that U.S. foreign policy has left deep scars “right here at home.” Can you talk more about how you see that reflected in working-class America — and how music can help shed light on those hidden costs?
Utah: Thank you for this question, it gets really down to the core of it all I think. There’s a group of people who are getting really rich off sending our soldiers to foreign lands, only to have them come home and then discard them. It’s a filthy business, and I think the way it is sold to the American public is very insidious. I mean, we are talking music here so I don’t want to go too far down that hole, but music is a great outlet for telling stories, and those stories can hold a lot of truth to them at times.
Q: The lyrics of “The Trunk” feel cinematic — almost like a short film in song form. When you’re writing something so narrative-driven, what’s your creative process like? Do the words or music tend to come first?
Utah: I’ve not really been able to identify my creative process so to speak. I think it is often driven by where my head’s at and can be situational. Sometimes it is music that I then put words to, or the story comes first with melody, and I work the music to it.
Q: This song reunites the team behind “Kelso Beach.” How did working again with Jazz Byers and Mike Ofca influence the sound and emotional tone of “The Trunk”?
Utah: Jazz has become, like so many great producers in song, that “other” member of the band. He has a great ear for hearing things and being able to contextualize notes within our musical frameworks. It sometimes can be as simple as a single note picked on an acoustic guitar, like he does in “The Trunk,” but damn do you notice that. It is right where it needs to be, and without it, it almost feels empty anymore. As for Ofca, he’s a legend around here with his ability to mix and properly place our songs. It’s a great team and I see us doing much more in the future together.
Q: Noble Hops is known for songs grounded in blue-collar storytelling and authenticity. How do you keep that sense of truth alive while continuing to evolve as a songwriter and performer?
Utah: By living a true and authentic life myself, and as I sing about in our song “Kelso Beach,” by surrounding myself with people of similar authenticity.
Q: Between “Kelso Beach,” “Life By the Numbers,” and now “The Trunk,” Noble Hops has explored some heavy emotional terrain. What draws you to stories of struggle, resilience, and redemption?
Utah: I tell you, you’ve asked some really good questions. I don’t know if it is a draw so much as it is just living a real life and experiencing it, either personally or with those around me. As I am getting older though, I am trying to reconcile things from my past, and perhaps that is where that redemption part comes in. I want to try and set things right.
Q: With the band’s growing national momentum and multiple Josie Music Awards nominations, where do you see Noble Hops heading next — artistically and philosophically — after a song as meaningful as “The Trunk”?
Utah: We do have some more heavy hitters in the trunk, no pun intended, and some songs that may be considered a bit darker in the themes depending on how you interpret them. I’ve also written a lot of goofy stuff too, and we are working on some lighter fare as a group. When the chord strikes though and the words come… I gotta follow where it takes me. Thanks for a really great interview.
For Utah Burgess, songwriting isn’t about chasing trends or crafting easy hooks — it’s about telling the truth as he sees it, even when that truth is uncomfortable. “The Trunk” stands as one of Noble Hops’ most unflinching statements yet: a reminder that behind every folded flag, every weathered photograph, and every quiet family gathering, there are stories that deserve to be heard. And if Burgess has his way, he’ll keep opening that trunk — one song at a time.
