Tag: premiere

LISTEN: Michael McDermott, “Ne’er Do Well”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Michael McDermott
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Song: “Ne’er Do Well”
Album: Orphans
Release Date: February 8, 2019
Label: Pauper Sky Records

In Their Words: “The first time I heard the term ‘ne’er do well’ I must have been 8 or 9 years old. I heard it from my father describing his uncle who ended up dying on skid row in Chicago… That kind of stuck with me I guess. I became a sort of ne’er do well of my own, afflicted with drug and drink, who let his career go to hell and lived for the next fix and drink. Those are just external solutions for internal problems, and what they really need is love, faith, connection. I was always amazed that there was more real discussion about God and Jesus in crack houses than there was in the church I went to. One time in Wayne, New Jersey, I was checking into a hotel and they asked for my name, and I said ‘Ne’er Do Well.’ They asked me, ‘Can you spell that?’ and I just said, ‘Ne’er Do Well, it’s French.’ — Michael McDermott

Photo credit: Tony Piccirillo

LISTEN: Eric Brace, Peter Cooper, & Thomm Jutz, “King of the Keelboat Men”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Eric Brace, Peter Cooper & Thomm Jutz
Song: “King of the Keelboat Men”
Album: Riverland
Label: Red Beet Records
Release Date: February 1, 2019

In Their Words: “When we were looking at the history of the Mississippi River, it was clear that the steamboats were the biggest thing that ever happened to it and on it. But what about before the steamboats? Before steamboats were the keelboats, pushed up and down river by big men with poles. They were the rock stars of their time, from the 1700s til about 1830. The mightiest of the keelboat men was the near-mythic Mike Fink. His tale was told in stories and books and songs of the time, but we wondered what happened to him when steam took away his job. Buy him a drink, and he’ll tell you exactly what happened.” — Eric Brace, Peter Cooper, & Thomm Jutz

Photo credit: Chris Richards

LISTEN: Ari & Mia, “Little Bit Like Me”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Ari & Mia
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “Little Bit Like Me”
Album: Sew the City
Release Date: March 1, 2019

In Their Words: “‘Little Bit Like Me’ is a conversation between myself as an adult and myself as a nine-year-old. In the song, I reflect on the sense of creativity and openness that came naturally to me as a child, and I wonder if I’ve lived up to the expectations I set for myself back then.” — Mia Friedman

“I love ‘Little Bit Like Me’ because of its simple intention and the sweet melody that mirrors it. The song’s nostalgic message feels relatable and honest, and the process of arranging it together was seamless. It clicked right away.” — Ari Friedman

Photo credit: Kat Waterman

LISTEN: Jason Ringenberg, “Here in the Sequoias”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Jason Ringenberg
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Here in the Sequoias”
Album: Stand Tall
Release Date: February 7, 2019
Label: Courageous Chicken

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Here in the Sequoias’ during my time doing the National Park Service artist-in-residency program at Sequoia National Park. To be among those giant angels made it very easy to release the songwriting muse. Immediately after writing it I felt a bluegrass direction would be best for it. We recorded most of it live in the studio. I think we can hear the spontaneity in the track. Later we brought in Robert Bowlin (who was in Bill Monroe’s band) to add in fiddles and mando. I believe the track does capture the sublime beauty of the Giant Sequoias.” — Jason Ringenberg

Photo credit. Gregg Roth

LISTEN: Terry Klein, “Anika”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Terry Klein
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Anika”
Album: tex
Release Date: January 25, 2019

In Their Words: “I wrote this one for all of the people who’ve broken my heart, and Anika’s bad luck is that she has a cool, memorable name. She’s the first girl who ever kissed me. We were six and I remember she had a skating rink in her backyard and lived around the corner. She denied it happened for years after and then I moved away and I haven’t spoken to her since. Apparently she’s now an actress.” — Terry Klein

 

Photo credit: Valerie Fremin

LISTEN: Graeme James, “To Be Found By Love”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Graeme James
Hometown: Wellington, New Zealand.
Song: “To Be Found By Love”
Album: The Long Way Home
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Label: Nettwerk

In Their Words: “The Long Way Home is an exploration of time and space through the motif of a journey. Most of the songs were actually written while preparing to leave my homeland New Zealand to live on the other side of the world. In that sense, the record is a journey album of someone who hasn’t yet left, filled with all the hopes, doubts, fears and excitement of someone who can’t see the future clearly. When I left New Zealand I was 100% certain that I would return at some point. I still have no idea when that will be, but by traveling to the other side of the world for an undetermined period of time I’m taking the longest possible way home, hence the title of the album. I think the lyrics of “To Be Found By Love” really capture the emotion I first felt: ‘If people ask for me, tell them I’m off on an adventure, I’m lost on purpose to be found by love.’ It has certainly been a wild ride so far!” — Graeme James

Photo courtesy of Nettwerk

LISTEN: Melody Guy, “Dry the Rivers”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Melody Guy
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Dry the Rivers”
Album: Dry the Rivers
Release Date: January 25, 2019

In Their Words: “In my first apartment in Nashville, I went through a very depressing time in my life and had never lived anywhere with cockroaches. Eek! I woke up in the morning and stared out into the grey cold hallway. I couldn’t have been lower. The first line is ‘I’ve got monsters creepin’ in, I hear voices speaking sin.’ The monsters were emotional as well as the physical ones, the dark thoughts of: ‘How did I get there? There’s no way out.’ I decided that day I was not going down like this. I will be happy, I will continue, I will not let this winter emotion or season destroy me. My daughter Delaney Smith is singing harmony on this song as well, and when her harmonies come in, my heart starts to glow with happiness.” — Melody Guy

Photo credit: Cathy Partridge

LISTEN: Adam Klein, “Low Flyin’ Planes”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Adam Klein
Hometown: Atlanta via Athens, Georgia
Song: “Low Flyin’ Planes”
Album: Low Flyin’ Planes
Release Date: March 1, 2019
Label: Cowboy Angel Music

In Their Words: “This is the title track and centerpiece of the record, and the most sparse song in terms of instrumentation. To me, it cuts to the core of what this album is about. The expression of someone still searching, on a journey toward a sense of fulfillment. The narrator is barely lifting off, nearly scraping the ground, one misstep away from some kind of rock bottom. Then again, maybe they will rise — who knows? It may be a song about passivity, not exercising agency in one’s own life, and enduring what can be called the poverty of vulnerability. For those to whom these notions resonate, may we practice peace, acceptance, and compassion, not only to others, but also to ourselves.” — Adam Klein

Photo credit: Jeff Shipman

WATCH: Abigail Lapell, “Down by the Water”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Abigail Lapell
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Song: “Down by the Water”
Album: Getaway
Release Date: February 1, 2019
Label: Coax Records

In Their Words: “‘Down by the Water’ is a springtime song, so there’s a lot of imagery of renewal or redemption, and even some biblical symbolism, suggesting an escape to a better place — whether literal or metaphorical. The song evokes the idea of getting away somewhere isolated, away from the world, in order to rediscover your voice or calling — something that ultimately deepens your sense of connection to the world. Like a songwriting retreat!

“I love singing with Dana Sipos, who’s featured on this song and is an amazing songwriter — and people often tell us we sound like sisters, which is a bonkers compliment to me because she has one of my favourite voices of all time. We’ve toured together a bunch (including by bike and canoe) so we’ve had a good amount of practice singing on each other’s songs. For this tune we recorded live-off-the-floor in the studio, in a room together; no headphones or isolation, just a guitar and our two voices. So it’s one of the simplest arrangements on the album.

“This was my first time making a music video, and it was a really fun and surprisingly time-intensive process. It was filmed by Brittany Farhat at Union Sound Studios in Toronto, which is such a beautiful (and photogenic!) space, and I edited it very slowly over several months. Also featured in the video is Chris Stringer, my wonderful producer, who was one of a small team that started the studio — they built it literally from the ground up a few years ago. It’s also where I met my fiancé, while working on my last album there. So this video and location are particularly special to me.” — Abigail Lapell

Photo credit: Gaelle Legrand

LISTEN: Lindi Ortega, “Liberty” (from ‘Liberty: Piano Songbook’)

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Lindi Ortega
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
Song: “Liberty”
Album: Liberty: Piano Songbook
Release Date: January 25, 2019
Label: Shadowbox Music

In Their Words: “What I love about the Piano Songbook version of ‘Liberty’ is how it still has this vintage vibe to it. I immediately picture this tune being played on an old Western saloon piano. I think the sense of triumph is still captured in the chorus but new elements reveal themselves in the melody, and in the bridge of the song that allows it to take a new shape. It’s been extremely interesting for me to get a real sense of the melodies without vocals. Piano has always been an instrument I truly respect and love the sound of; to be honest, I don’t think a full instrumental would work properly with any single instrument other than piano. Piano has body, richness and fullness all on its own. ‘Liberty’ was one of the more produced songs on the original record, and for it to still carry itself with piano is really cool.” — Lindi Ortega

Photo credit: Kate Nutt