Basic Folk – Courtney Marie Andrews

Courtney Marie Andrews seems anciently wise in general, but on her new album Loose Future, she’s particularly tapped into some cosmic intelligence. Growing up, CMA spent a lot of time alone, so we naturally started our conversation there. People have been isolated in the last few years, which can be sad and scary, but also offer certain gifts. Courtney was able to quarantine during the first summer of the pandemic on Cape Cod. She grounded herself by walking six to eight miles daily and exploring herself “forever against the backdrop of summer.” She painted, reconnected with nature and wrote a song a day. Those songs resulted in the new record.

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She made the album at Flying Cloud Recordings in New York, taking a dip in the creek every morning before getting to work in order to embody the feeling of letting love in: “Sometimes you plunge, and sometimes you walk slowly in,” she says. We discuss how that practice got her ready for the day and the ins and outs of several of the songs. We also get into the intentionality she put into the beat for Loose Future. She wanted to make something modern with a driving percussive beat, but Graceland was also an inspiration. CMA ended up at a few distanced drum circles during the pandemic that felt very healing and communal. Enjoy Courtney Marie! She’s brilliant and offers so much foresight.


Photo Credit: Alexa Viscius

3×3: Oh, Jeremiah on Stealing Blazers, Getting Tackled, and Beer Me Five

Artist: Jeremiah Stricklin (of Oh, Jeremiah)
Hometown:  Hattiesburg, MS
Latest Album: The Other End of Passing Time
Rejected Band Names: Voldemort Jr, Diet Michael Stipe, or Powder

If you had to live the life of a character in a song, which song would you choose?
Paul Simon's "Graceland." I would want to be Paul's child from his first marriage. And while we're driving across Memphis, he tells me about this girl in NYC who calls herself a human trampoline. We'd laugh, and then make the greatest album of all time.

Where would you most like to live or visit that you haven't yet? 
Australia or the Grand Budapest Hotel.

What was the last thing that made you really mad? 
Someone stole my kelly green sports blazer. I've had it since the eighth grade. I bought it at a thrift store. People just assumed I was good at golf, just by wearing it. Now I have to actually learn how to play.

 

Quality time with my nephew.

A photo posted by Oh, Jeremiah (@oh_jeremiah) on

What's the best concert you've ever attended? 
The National live at the Ryman in Nashville, Tennessee. Matt Berninger came into the crowd and tackled the guy next to me during "Mr. November." I was jealous it wasn't me.

Who is your favorite Clinton: Hillary, Bill, or George?
Is George the one from House of Cards?

What are you reading right now? 
The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Whiskey, water, or wine? 
Whiskey. It makes me look richer.

North or South? 
I was born in the Free State of Jones (Laurel, Mississippi). By law, I have to say the South.

Steve Carell or Ricky Gervais? 
Steve Carell. The American version of The Office is my all-time favorite TV show and defined my high school years. I also can't begin to guess how many date nights Erin and I spent watching The Office reruns. Beer me five. 

LISTEN: The Lonely Heartstring Band, ‘Graceland’

Artist: The Lonely Heartstring Band
Hometown: Boston, MA
Song: "Graceland"
Album: Deep Waters
Release Date: June 3
Label: Rounder Records

In Their Words: “'Graceland,' as a song and a record, has been important to all of us for a long time. Our admiration for Paul Simon predates the Lonely Heartstring Band’s existence and, early on, 'Graceland' was an obvious choice for an LHB cover. Working it up was a collective lesson in texture, rhythm, and dynamics, and glimmers of 'Graceland' have worked their way into the band’s original song arrangements. Recording this song felt natural and easy, as it’s been a staple in our set for a few years, and I think the recording managed to capture the groove and joy we feel every time we play it.” — Patrick M'Gonigle


Photo credit: Kelly Davidson