The Makin Waves Song of the Week is “Make This World Stand Still” from Trenton-bred roots/country songstress Lisa Bouchelle’s forthcoming album, “Vandals, Thieves & Lovers.” PHOTO BY CRISTINA ARIGONI
Lubbock, Texas-bred, Nashville-based rootsy Americana-country singer-songwriter-fiddler Amanda Shires plays violin on Lisa Bouchelle’s latest single, “Make This World Stand Still.” Amanda is the Grammy-winning founder of The Highwomen and the ex-wife and ex-bandmate of Grammy winner Jason Isbell.
“Make This World Stand Still” is the first single from Lisa’s September-bound LP, “Vandals, Thieves & Lovers,” and the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “Make This World Stand Still” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on April 10 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin, Mixcloud and RadioJersey.net.
Lisa's soaring vocal matches with Amanda’s heartfelt and poignant violin, which rises to a crescendo in the solo, a smooth accompaniment to the acoustic guitar played brilliantly by multi-instrumentalist Stephen DeAcutis. The rhythm section of Tonic drummer Rich Scannella and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts bassist Hal B. Selzer lay the foundation, and Lisa's stirring, impassioned vocal, a la Roy Orbison, captures the essence of a romantic liaison.
"I usually write all the songs I record, but when I heard this song, I felt connected to it right away, and knew I had to record it,” Lisa said. “So much emotion ... to me, it evokes the passion of classic songs by artists like Roy Orbison and Patsy Cline. We set the scene in the video we did for it in Paris; nothing more classically romantic than that! I am so thrilled to have had the opportunity to record this song with Amanda, and together, I think we really brought it to life.”
The song is actually an unreleased Southside Johnny song, which he wrote with former Asbury Jukes guitarist Bobby Bandiera, said Hal, also Lisa’s manager, as well as Bobby’s bandmate.
“Southside played it live a number of times, but never released it, although it did appear on one of Bobby's solo CDs,” Hal said.
The video was released April 10, one week after the single.
“The video for the song is very unique,” Hal said. “It's Lisa walking around Paris, with the scenes being in the style of classic artists, such as Van Gogh, Cezanne and Monet.”
Also on the track is Doyle Grisham, the pedal steel player of Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, and Joan Jett keyboardist Kenny Laguna.
“Make This World Stand Still” is off to a great start with nearly 5,000 streams on Spotify within the first four days of release.
“Best start we ever had with a song,” Hal said, “and we haven’t even started radio promo or PR yet. We’ve been added to a bunch of playlists, which is a really good sign, including one of the CMA playlists, which is hard to get.”
The single can be heard on the CMA playlist Fresh from Nashville.
Other playlists featuring Lisa include:
* Rock 'n' Roll Road Trip (Essential Rock Roadie Tracks)
* Indie Folk, Rock & Country Jam Sessions
* Dirt Road | New Country Music 2026
* Best of Country | Country Hits 2026
*Rockin Hard or Hardly Rockin? | New Rock 2026
* Country Music Vibes Rock Music 1970-2025 | Best Of Rock
* Country Songs 2026 - Today's Country Hits
* New Music Friday (Americana Folk Country)
* Music Victory Singer-songwriter
The forthcoming album was produced by Hal and Stephen, who also mixed it with Niko Bolas. “Make This World Stand Still” was mastered by Grammy-winning “Born to Run” engineer Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound.
Also appearing on “Vandals, Thieves & Lovers” are two other Grammy winners: multi-instrumental roots rocker, songwriter and producer Larry Campbell; and Clay Cook, keyboardist- guitarist of Zac Brown Band.
Recorded at Sound Spa Productions in Edison and The Hit Factory in New York City, the album also features:
* Laurel Canton guitar great Waddy Wachtel on guitar
* Jake Clemons from Bruce’s E Street Band on sax
* Tim Carbone from the great Jersey jam band Railroad Earth on violin
* Jersey Shore legend Arlan Feiles on piano
Lisa’s last album, 2021’s “Jump In!,” yielded two Billboard A/C Top 25 singles, including "Love Is For the Making," which reached No. 17 and stayed on the chart for 14 weeks, an impressive feat for an indie artist. The video for the song has more than 4 million views on YouTube, and videos utilizing the song garnered over 4.6 million views on TikTok.
Lisa has sung backup for Bruce Springsteen, dueted in concert with Jon Bon Jovi, and has toured with and/or opened for The Wallflowers, Train, Blues Traveler, Jason Mraz, Shooter Jennings, Bryan Adams, Donavon Frankenreiter, Randy Bachman, Don Felder of The Eagles, Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Steve Miller, and The Wailers, among others. Right before “Vandals, Thieves & Lovers” drops in September, Lisa will head on tour through the fall. In the meantime, enjoy her April 10, Sharrott Winery, Hammonton; 11:45 AM April 20 on WBJB 90.5 the Night with the legendary Rich Robinson; Gram Parsons Tribute with James Maddock and Pat Guadagno, April 29, Avenel Performing Arts Center, Avenel section of Woodbridge, and June 23, City Winery, New York City; May 16, Ashlyn Distillery, Morrinsville, PA, and May 17, Rose Bank Winery, Newtown, PA.
Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and Instagram and contact Bob at [email protected].
