Tyler Halverson and Kylie Frey play two ex-lovers silently sparring for space during their new song "Your Bar Now." A new, acoustic performance of the track exclusive to Taste of Country readers underlines the complex emotions behind what each is going through.

The small-town South Dakota-raised Halverson opens the song, sharing his frustration that the one woman he wanted to forget turned up at his favorite bar. On Instagram, he describes his style of country music as "Western Amerijuana Music," but if you called him Americana that'd fit this patient strummer. A languid harmonica keeps the melody at various points.

"Used to be me spinning you around / Now I'm just holding this chair down," he cries out at the chorus. "Still the life of the party, making the rounds / Making sure I saw you out / I'm taking my ass back to midtown / Aww baby, it's your bar now."

Frey's verse reveals she's torturing him on purpose because he may have loved in quantity instead of quality when they were a couple. A tinge of regret seeps between her notes, but revenge is what's on her mind. Halverson's pain is palpable through the vocal performance, and Frey more than plays the part of jaded ex.  With just a single acoustic guitar supporting the performance, the chemistry has to work.

The two friends say that working together was a no-brainer.

"'Your Bar Now' is a song I’ve been patiently holding on to, but when I started writing with Kylie this past year, it didn’t take long for me to pitch her the duet," Halverson shares. "I’m such a fan of her voice and what she’s doing as an artist."

The decision was as easy for Frey, who says the song is, "one that we’ve all experienced in one way or another, and I’m proud to be a part of it."

"Your Bar Now" is part of Halverson's catalog of songs, available for streaming and purchase wherever you prefer. He wrote the song with Collin Nash and Harper O'Neill and produced with Ryan Youmans and Gary Stanton, who is one half of Muscadine Bloodline.

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