LISTEN: June Star, “I Don’t Wanna Know”

Artist: June Star
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Song: “I Don’t Wanna Know”
Album: How We See It Now
Release Date: April 16, 2021
Label: WhistlePig Records

In Their Words: “Human beings are messy emotional creatures. Sometimes when we struggle to communicate in relationships it’s because there’s the voice we speak with and that voice in our head. ‘I Don’t Wanna Know’ bounces between a professed love to another person and a confessed loneliness on the inside.” — Andrew Grimm, June Star


Photo credit: Shane Gardner

LISTEN: Miles Gannett, “Thunder River, Tumbling Down”

Artist: Miles Gannett
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Song: “Thunder River, Tumbling Down”
Album: Meridian
Release Date: April 16, 2021

In Their Words: “I heard the melody and a few of the lyrics, including the lines ‘Thunder River, tumbling down; catch your babes before they drown’ in a dream, and I woke up and sang what I could remember into my phone. It kind of creeped me out, so it sat around for a couple years until I figured out where to go with the rest of the lyrics. It contains a lot of trippy apocalyptic imagery and I guess quasi-religious commentary. Musically, I was inspired by the vibe of some of my favorite late ’60s and early ’70s progressive bluegrass artists, especially Dillard & Clark, who combined bluegrass and psychedelic folk rock in a way that I think is really cool, and J.D. Crowe & the New South, who used drums and pedal steel on their Bluegrass Evolution album, which I love even if Tony Rice didn’t (ha ha). I was honored to have such great players on the record, who could help me achieve the sound I was searching for. Ron Stewart of the Seldom Scene played banjo on the track, which, along with Eric Selby’s drumming and Joe Martone’s bass, really propels the song and creates a solid foundation for Dave Hadley’s pedal steel and Sean P. Finn’s fiddle. I did my best to keep up on acoustic guitar!” — Miles Gannett


Photo credit: Chancey June Gannett

LISTEN: Andrew Grimm, “A Little Heat”

Artist: Andrew Grimm
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Song: “A Little Heat”
Album: A Little Heat
Release Date: October 30, 2020
Label: WhistlePig Records

In Their Words: “This song is a departure from the rest. I cannot offer up dark and depressing ideas without suggesting some type of a salve or solution. That’s the deal here: when we start seeing each other as humans, when we smash our phones, when we begin to trust each other, when we thaw the frost between us, we will come out the other side of crisis, together. ‘All we need is a little heat.'” — Andrew Grimm


Photo credit: Chad Cochran

LISTEN: Cris Jacobs, “Holler and Hum”

Artist: Cris Jacobs
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Song: “Holler and Hum”
Album: Color Where You Are
Release Date: April 12, 2019
Label: Blue Rose Music

In Their Words: “When we sing, play music, dance, cook, garden, we are looking for some sort of connection to our roots and ancient impulses. The best creations for me are the ones that tap into those universal emotions, when we are made to feel something rather than told exactly what to think. When I write songs, the way they feel to sing, the way the melody rolls off the tongue, the way the vocal cords vibrate, is where I feel that primal connection. More so than a cleverly-worded phrase that breaks the flow. The lyrics to this one formed themselves in one sitting, and I wasn’t sure ahead of time what I was writing about; but in essence, they feel as though they are about this very idea.” — Cris Jacobs


Photo credit: Alysse Gafkjen

STREAM: The Honey Dewdrops, ‘Anyone Can See’

Artist: The Honey Dewdrops
Hometown: Virginia, but now living in Baltimore, Maryland
Album: Anyone Can See
Release Date: March 1, 2019

In Their Words:Anyone Can See came out of wanting to record the feeling of our live show. It’s the sound of us playing and singing together side by side and letting the songs unwind themselves down the paths they wanted to go. This is a record about what we’ve been thinking and feeling over the last few years. The songs are about what we can and cannot see, and the process of trying to see even when we’re not sure what we’re looking at.” — The Honey Dewdrops


Photo credit: Michael Patrick O’Leary

3×3: ENTRANCE on Vegetables, Violence, and Vulnerability

Artist: ENTRANCE 
Hometown: Born in Baltimore, currently torn between L.A. and London 
Latest Album: Promises EP
Personal Nicknames: Froggy, Guy-o

If Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, and Mohammed were in a band together, who would play what?
Krishna obviously would play flute, since he's depicted with a flute in most images I've seen. Buddha would have to play drums. Jesus and Mohammad wouldn't likely get along very well, as each of them is claiming to be the one true prophet. They might be a bit like Noel and Liam from Oasis or Ray and Dave from the Kinks … brilliant songwriting team that can't stand each other personally … but let's just say Jesus on guitar and Mohammed on bass and they'd both sing … 

If you were a candle, what scent would you be? 
Lavender with a hint of sandalwood 

What literary character or story do you most relate to?
This is a great question and hard to answer succinctly. There is a James Joyce story called "Araby," and I always felt a special connection to the main character, describing the irrational, almost mystical possession that happens when a young boy experiences the mystery of obsessive love for the first time. I've also been reading a lot of Virginia Woolf and really connect with her — the insights she shows into the subconscious and the inner workings of the mind. I've always identified with the archetype of the "Hero," especially as portrayed in science fiction, like the character of Luke Skywalker, or Paul Atreides in Dune … the sensitive youth endowed (blessed or cursed?) with special powers and drawn by destiny into the epic battle between good and evil. I'm also following the My Struggle series of autobiographical novels by Karl Ove Knausgaard, and i feel that the way he reveals and explores the nature of awareness and attention and pushes the limit of raw honesty is inspiring, and I identify with a lot of his personality. 

How many pairs of shoes do you own?  
4

What's your best physical attribute? 
My voice — I try to take care of it and not take it for granted. I've accepted the unique and unusual quality of it and do my best to honor that and keep it pure and true to myself. 

Who is your favorite Bruce: Willis, Springsteen, or Lee?
Bruce Lee … his peaceful warrior philosophy appeals to me. I like the idea (and the practice) of cultivating inner power, but reserving it for the right moment, never projecting it outward or using force, but always ready to respond in a crisis or to protect the vulnerable. Nebraska by Springsteen is a personal favorite, though. 

Animal, mineral, or vegetable?
I guess I'd have to choose vegetable. It's important to embody all of these qualities as human beings are made up of all three. I'd been vegetarian since the age of 10 and recently (about three years ago) became a full carnivore. Now I'm easing back into vegetarianism, as I still see the connection between violence toward other species and the violence of our society in this time of escalating aggression. Plants have a lot to teach us, at this point. 

Rain or shine? 
This has been a big issue for me recently. As I mentioned before, I'm currently torn between living in L.A. and London. I'd have to take the side of RAIN. I've become so accustomed to the endless sunshine of Los Angeles that the gloom and moody atmosphere of English weather is exciting and refreshing … then when the sunshine breaks through a cloud it's a special gift and is easier to appreciate. I guess underlying this is that I prefer changes to everything always being the same. A lot of the songs I've been writing are about the seasons and weather and how contrast is such a huge part of perception. 

Mild, medium, or spicy? 
 I like extremes, so i'm tempted to say spicy, but really I'm more likely to ask for things to be mild. Moderation in all things, even moderation.