Tag: Song Premiere

LISTEN: Mark Olson & Ingunn Ringvold, “Black Locust”

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Artist: Mark Olson & Ingunn Ringvold
Hometown: Joshua Tree, California
Song: “Black Locust”
Album: Magdalen Accepts the Invitation
Release Date: June 5, 2020
Label: Fiesta Red Records

In Their Words: “I moved to the desert in ‘95 and bought a cabin that had been abandoned in the Landers earthquake. There was a water tank for delivered water, a pretty porch and a lot of stray debris in the yard — plus a number of broken aquariums scattered throughout the landscape!

“To make the place livable I hired a local legend by the name of John Edwards. He was a very talented carpenter and mind reader of the natural fauna and flora that live and grow in that high UV environment. One of his many lessons that stuck with me was his method of planting trees in the desert. Suffice it to say, the process of defeating the terrible raging Mojave’s desert sun with prized cool-down trees is rather complicated and labor intensive — and even requires some plumbing and trenching skills to redirect gray water lines.

“On many occasions, John proclaimed that the fruitless mulberry tree was the best for fast growth and significant shade — and that the black locust was an acceptable alternative. To prove his point he took me over to his family home to see his pride and joy: a giant Yucca Valley mulberry that covered his entire front yard, house and half the street.

“The black locust tree is in my mind the subject of this song because of the knowledge that was passed on during that not-forgotten reconstruction project. The black locust grows wild in the Owens Valley along the stream beds where we go camping in the summer to escape the heat. The general outlook of the song is one of starting a new life, building from scratch and hoping it all works out for the best.” — Mark Olson

Photo credit: Sandra Goodin

LISTEN: Lowland Hum, “This Will Be Our Year” (The Zombies Cover)

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Artist: Lowland Hum
Hometown: Charlottesville, Virginia
Song: “This Will Be Our Year” (The Zombies cover)
Album: Singing Other People’s Love Songs
Release Date: June 5, 2020

In Their Words: “‘This Will Be Our Year’ by the Zombies grabbed us immediately with its simplicity and unfettered sweetness, not to mention its intuitive melodies and positive energy. We chose to record our version as simply as possible, with closely mic’d, bare vocals and simple nylon string guitar. At the time when we recorded it, we were feeling all kinds of optimism and excitement about what the year might hold for us, having just put the finishing touches on our recording studio, and feeling more adjusted than ever to life out in the countryside.

“Obviously there have been some unexpected turns since then. When we scheduled the release of this song, we had no idea the entire world would be in the midst of a pandemic, and all of the fear, financial strain and pain of isolation that has ensued. We had no idea our nation would be reeling from yet another wave of murders, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and now David McAtee and others as police continue to employ the use of military weapons on protestors. To release a song entitled ‘This Will Be Our Year’ at such a time as this feels perilously incongruous at best with where the nation is at, where we are at personally, and offensive at worst.

“Before the past few weeks we thought to ourselves, ‘Well, this is not the year we imagined when we recorded this song, but maybe there are things in store for us and others who are suffering, which we couldn’t have chosen or anticipated had all gone according to our ideal plans.’ At this point we hope that this is a year when things really begin to change. Perhaps this will be the year when people like ourselves, who have long been sympathetic to the cause of justice for black and brown people in America but haven’t taken the time to learn how to properly engage and act toward a better future, might finally buckle down and discern how to step up as allies. Perhaps this year will mark a turning point for many, that will start our nation down a road resulting in lasting and true change. We hope. — Lauren and Daniel Goans, Lowland Hum

Lowland Hum · This Will Be Our Year [Zombies cover]

Photo credit: Tristan Williams

LISTEN: Michael McDermott, “Until I Found You”

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Artist: Michael McDermott
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Song: “Until I Found You”
Album: What in the World
Release Date: June 5, 2020
Label: Pauper Sky Records

In Their Words: “I have always been cautious about writing flat-out love songs. I’ve never written one without some type of conflict, criminality, nefarious undertones, or felonious elements. Rare is the song that is void of conflict, self-doubt, or questioning. I wanted to write a song about my wife. About the kind of love that can save you from yourself. In the process of writing it, I kept waiting for the conflict to arise, I could have steered it that way, but I followed the song instead of trying to control it, I let it happen. I wanted to celebrate her and what she has done for me, and how without her, I never would have known me.” — Michael McDermott

Photo credit: Sandro

LISTEN: John Baumann, “Second Wind”

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Artist: John Baumann
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Song: “Second Wind”
Album: Country Shade
Release Date: June 5, 2020
Label: The Next Waltz

In Their Words: “When I think of myself from ten years ago, I recall a much more naive and unaware version. Blindly ambitious, I was willing to chase a carrot as far as needed, to feel validated as an artist and writer. It was before I had taken a few licks and gotten knocked down. It was before my expectations had been tempered, before my sight had been adjusted to reality. The highs and lows, the ebbs and flows. I sometimes wonder what it would be like if I could only bottle that feeling of invincibility, and take a dose of it every day for the rest of my life. It really speaks to the power of youth and the strength that people have when they are motivated. This song is about questioning your motives, where you have gone right and wrong, remembering who you can lean on, and ultimately finding how to harness that long lost feeling of unbridled motivation to push forward and find that validation.” — John Baumann

johnbaumann · John Baumann – Country Shade – 09 – Second Wind

Photo credit: Jordan Fischels

LISTEN: Grizzly Goat, “Wallowa, OR 1877”

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Artist: Grizzly Goat
Hometown: Provo, Utah/ Knoxville, Tennessee
Song: “Wallowa, OR 1877”
Album: Bound to Go to Waste
Release Date: May 29, 2020

In Their Words: “While in Oregon, performing in the Joseph Mountain Jubilee festival, I spotted a statue of Chief Joseph. This sparked my curiosity as a history enthusiast and I soon listened to the 18-hour audiobook, Thunder in the Mountains. I learned that the area had been home to Joseph’s Nez Perce tribe which the US government wanted to claim for white settlers. Despite Chief Joseph’s efforts to negotiate rights for his people peacefully, a war broke out causing the tribe to flee 1,170 miles before they were surrounded near the Canadian border. When this ‘spaghetti western’ melody came to me, I was inspired to shed light on the story of Chief Joseph and a neglected piece of American history.” — Nate Waggoner, Grizzly Goat

Photo credit: Ryan Carter

LISTEN: Nell & Jim Band, “Travelin’ the Road West”

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Artist: Nell & Jim Band
Hometown: Berkeley, California
Song: “Travelin’ the Road West”
Album: Western Sun
Release Date: May 29, 2020
Label: Whippoorwill Arts

In Their Words: “The new album has an exciting new band sound, as we have added accordion and keys to the ensemble with Rob Reich, plus the broad array of musical styles mastered by him, our bassist Jim Kerwin and percussionist Alex Aspinall. It took us a few years to really settle into the sound we wanted and this is it. We have the depth to move from folk to polkas to driving bluegrass — but what I really love is that we are just any one of those genres. We are our own blend.” — Jim Nunally

“Lowell Levinger (Banana from the Youngbloods) co-produced the album with us. He was very influential in the recording studio — with tasty, spot-on suggestions and guidance about when to stop. Lowell is a man of few words, and when he speaks we all truly listen. He even suggested lyric changes in two songs and we took his advice and the songs are better for it. What a pleasure!” — Nell Robinson

Photo credit: Kalie Capadona

LISTEN: Gina Sicilia, “For a Little While”

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Artist: Gina Sicilia
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA — with East Nashville as her adopted/current home
Song: “For a Little While” (feat. Luther Dickinson)
Album: Love Me Madly
Release Date: May 29, 2020
Label: Blue Élan Records

In Their Words: “I wrote this tune in a dark room late at night, and I think that moment is captured by the tenderness and melancholy mood of this song, which is about missing someone — something I’ve felt often. I kept the lyrics brief, saying all that needed to be said to express a pretty simple, pure emotion. Luther Dickinson’s guitar solo is stunning and I love how this song almost has the feeling of an interlude, of a fleeting thought that you express, tuck away and don’t dwell on. This is a fragile song and getting my vocals to be as delicate as the song’s temperament was a challenge, but I’m so proud of the overall feeling that was accomplished with the help of my producer, Cody Dickinson, who devoted so much time to making sure we got this song right.” — Gina Sicilia

Photo of Gina Sicilia with Cody Dickinson: Madison Thorn

LISTEN: Gary Brewer, “Daddy and the Old Oak Tree” (Feat. Dale Ann Bradley)

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Artist: Gary Brewer
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Song: “Daddy and the Old Oak Tree” (featuring Dale Ann Bradley)
Album: 40th Anniversary Celebration
Release Date: May 29, 2020
Label: SGM Records

In Their Words: “I’ve always admired Dale Ann’s singing and her ability to capture you in song. I chose the guest artists on 40th Anniversary Celebration because of the connection they had with each song; I chose her for ‘Daddy and the Old Oak Tree’ because of the influence our fathers have had on both of us and how they’ve impacted our lives. I feel that this song really says who we both are and where we came from. We had such a wonderful time in the studio reminiscing. We’ve both played on the same stages over the years, but never had performed together. It was such an honor to have her a part of my 40-year celebration. I hope you enjoy our first collaboration as we share our Kentucky heritage in song.” — Gary Brewer

 

LISTEN: Libby Rodenbough, “How Come You Call Me”

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Artist: Libby Rodenbough
Hometown: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Song: “How Come You Call Me”
Album: Spectacle of Love
Release Date: May 29, 2020
Label: Sleepy Cat Records

In Their Words: “I’ve always been able to navigate living pretty easily, both because I ride in the lane reserved for white well-off people, but also because I can handle little boxes better than some. I’m talkative and good at standardized tests and if I go through dark times, I can keep it tamped down. This is a good disposition for survival, but it’s something I’ve always felt self-conscious about, like being good at tolerating the intolerable is the sign of an empty soul, and maybe that’s why I’m drawn to people who don’t fit into this world so well. Everybody I’ve ever dated has been a good guy. This song isn’t about shitty boyfriends; it’s about the way you fall into particular slots in a relationship and rarely come out of them again, so if you happen to be the better navigator, you end up usually leading the way.” — Libby Rodenbough

Photo credit: Courtesy of L. Rodenbough

LISTEN: Zoe Guigueno, “Shoreward”

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Artist: Zoe Guigueno
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Song: “Shoreward”
Album: Secret Admirer
Release Date: June 5, 2020

In Their Words: “This song is about nature stopping us in our tracks; it’s about not taking our resources or way of life for granted. Taylor Ashton wrote the lyrics and I wrote the music — originally it was a commissioned piece for his grandparents, about the fishing industry in Newfoundland. In the current global situation, however, we can ask the same questions: Do we push forward, or do we wait out the storm that forced our boats shoreward?” — Zoe Guigueno

Photo credit: Josh Dolgin