Asbury Park singer-songwriter Renee Maskin has released her latest single on Mint 400 Records, “Scrimshaw,” the video for which is a collaboration with her boyfriend, John Decker, as well as the Makin Waves Song of the Week. PHOTO BY JOHN DECKER

There’s only one letter difference between Maskin and Makin, so when Asbury Park singer-songwriter is makin waves, it’s a treat.

Her new Mint 400 Records single, “Scrimshaw,” featuring the best local music video of the year thus far by Renee’s filmmaker/photographer boyfriend, John Decker, is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.

As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “Scrimshaw” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on June 30 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin or MixCloud.

“The word ‘scrimshaw’ had been rattling around my head since 2019 when I saw a small exhibit of some artifacts up in Maine,” Renee said. “It’s one of those mouthful words that carries a lot of weight, and I knew I wanted to write something good with it. With the lockdown of 2020 came for me a large heap of depression and subsequent uncharacteristic writer’s block. But just like anything else, nothing lasts forever. Eventually, things got better, the fog lifted, and ‘Scrimshaw’ formed itself in a few simple chords and words.

“John took a particular interest in the song and started forming ideas for how to bring it to life visually,” she continued. “Other ideas were stirred in, and the music video turned into a short piece about the work I do, and how I see it, my history, and my place in Asbury Park, New Jersey.”

A richly solid place for sure, Renee recently participated at Asbury Lanes in the latest incarnation of Let’s Get Folked Up, having been on the inaugural bill five years ago.

Coming up, she will open for Del Amitri on July 6 at The Vogel, Red Bank. She’ll also play July 8, The Asbury hotel, Asbury Park; July 14, Old Franklin Schoolhouse, in her hometown of Metuchen; July 18, Seahorse, Asbury Park; July 20 Prototype, Paterson, and Aug. 18, Pino's, Highland Park. 

For more, visit reneemaskin.com.

Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at [email protected].