Tag: The Ballroom Thieves

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Ben Sollee, Sideline, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This week, BGS readers were graced by two special, Valentine’s Day-themed premieres from jamgrass supergroup The High Hawks and singer-songwriter Caroline Cotter. Plus, our old friend, Kentucky-based cellist Ben Sollee, brought us a gorgeous new performance video of a John Prine cover shot surrounded by verdant houseplants.

Below, catch up on that new music you might have missed from earlier in the week and discover brand new, exclusive premieres from bluegrass group Sideline and indie/Americana duo the Ballroom Thieves. It’s all right here on BGS and… You Gotta Hear This!

Sideline, “The Lives of the Innocent”

Artist: Sideline
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Song: “The Lives of the Innocent”
Release Date: February 16, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “It was great getting back in the studio after over two years. There was a lot of bottled-up magic that came bursting out when we hit the first downbeat. This song fit the very definition of what Sideline is as a sound and the energy we project. It certainly enters the catalog as a blood-pumping, foot stomping, Sideline hit for the ages.” – Skip Cherryholmes, guitar

“‘The Lives of the Innocent’ was a song that was inspired by the Hibriten Guards during the Civil War that mustered in Alexander County, North Carolina. They saw heavy combat during the war, suffering a high casualty rate, and this tune chronicles what potentially could have been one of the soldiers in those ranks. Steve [Dilling] and the guys bumped the tempo a little and captured the essence of the song and the singing is just top-notch!” – Shannon Slaughter, songwriter

Track Credits:
Skip Cherryholmes – Guitar
Steve Dilling – Banjo, harmony vocal
Matt Flake – Fiddle
Nick Goad – Mandolin, harmony vocal
Kyle Windbeck – Bass
Bailey Coe – Lead vocal

The Ballroom Thieves, “Tender”

Artist: The Ballroom Thieves
Hometown: Easton, Massachusetts
Song: “Tender”
Album: Sundust
Release Date: April 12, 2024
Label: Nettwerk Music Group

In Their Words: “We were listening to the band Watchhouse at Newport Folk Festival in 2022 and their sparse instrumentation and fluid melodies inspired us to start writing ‘Tender’ right on the spot. We learn a lot from our peers, and in this case, the lesson was about the importance of creating space for your songs to breathe so you can hear what’s happening between the notes.” – The Ballroom Thieves

Ben Sollee, “Only Love” (John Prine Cover)

Artist: Ben Sollee
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Song: “Only Love”
Release Date: February 13, 2023

In Their Words: “John Prine had a knack for folding mantras in to his songs. This song has a message that resonates deeply with my journey as a creative, father, and husband [and] that is so needed in this fitful world. ‘When love comes your way, you learn to say, I love you!’” – Ben Sollee

More here.

The High Hawks, “This Is What Love Feels Like”

Artist: The High Hawks
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado and All Points Between, USA
Song: “This Is What Love Feels Like”
Album: Mother Nature’s Show
Release Date: February 16, 2024

In Their Words: “This song sits in a slightly different world than the rest of The High Hawks’ new record. It’s a step into the mind of a hopeless romantic at a show, waiting for the band to come on with his love by his side. Sometimes the world just seems to conspire to make everything just right. This is about one of those nights. The song came out of a co-write with Chris Gelbuda, Shawn Camp, and myself one Nashville summer afternoon. I’m glad it found a home with The High Hawks!” — Vince Herman

More here.

Caroline Cotter, “Do You Love Me?”

Artist: Caroline Cotter
Hometown: from Providence, Rhode Island; currently living in Ellsworth, Maine
Song: “Do You Love Me?”
Album: Gently As I Go
Release Date: August 18, 2023

In Their Words: “‘Do You Love Me?’ is a love song, short and sweet and perhaps a bit tongue–in–cheek, echoing desperate and anxious attempts from a hopeless romantic to their new love (and the universe) to get some certainty in very uncertain territory. This anxiety and excitement come together in a fun little package, trading places depending on the day or the moment, and sometimes it’s best to laugh at the silliness of it all, and realize that attempts to know or pretend to know by reading the signs are likely futile, but if nothing else, they’re fun to sing about. I love how Fernando’s illustrations in the video bring out the whimsy, playfulness, and sweetness of the lyrics.” – Caroline Cotter

More here.

Photo Credit: The Ballroom Thieves by Meredith Brockington; Ben Sollee by Jessica Ebelhar.

The Show on the Road – The Ballroom Thieves

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

This week, The Show On The Road brings you an intimate conversation with avant-folk instrumentalists and songwriting team Martin Earley (guitar, vocals) and Callie Peters (cello-vocals) — the driving forces behind New England’s The Ballroom Thieves.

LISTEN: APPLE PODCASTS • SPOTIFY • STITCHER

Beginning as a hard-traveling duo — which also features longtime percussionist Devin Mauch — over a decade ago at Stonehill College in Massachusetts, the Ballroom Thieves began to turn heads and fill rooms when they added Peters and her fierce and poetic singing-style around eight years back. The Queen-meets-Wings stacks of harmonies, gorgeous string arrangements and slam-poetry off-kilter lyrics instantly made them stick out from their gentler rootsy peers. They recorded the beloved harmony-drenched debut, A Wolf In The Doorway, in 2015 and followed up with their soulful, expansively electric Nettwerk debut Deadeye, which has been streamed over 50 million times and counting. A tasteful covers record followed as they established themselves as international festival favorites.

2020 was supposed to be a triumphant year for the group, but of course that’s not how anything went last year, for anybody. Their playfully experimental and fearlessly political release Unlovely (your host Z. Lupetin’s new favorite record of this fractious era) got buried in the late winter tumult of the new pandemic, forcing the group to call off all touring and shelve all promotion. Holed up at home, the chastened group hoped the world might discover the deliciously angular anthems like “Vanity Trip,” “Homme Run” and the epic tempo-jumping opening title track (featuring fellow New England harmony-masters Darlingside) at a later, calmer date.

The world has not gotten calmer, of course. Earley and Peters had to push off marrying each other and percussionist Devin Mauch had to make the tough decision to leave the group and focus on his art career after a decade sharing stages across the world with his friends.

Despite all this, our talk was an upbeat one. The group recently returned to performing live and sold out their hometown venue the Sinclair in Boston with an expanded group of musicians backing their ever-evolving sound. New music is on the way — but in the meantime, give yourself a day to sit with Unlovely: one of the true lost gems of the 2020 musical year.

 

LISTEN: The Ballroom Thieves, “Homme Run”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: The Ballroom Thieves
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “Homme Run”
Album: Unlovely
Release Date: February 14, 2020 (album)
Label: Nettwerk

In Their Words: “How do you put words to how powerful women are? How do you hinder what they learn, if they read, who they can become, or what they do with the organs in their bodies? When a piece of the population’s voices are quieted there can be no conversation about how to guide society. As the avalanche of our man’s world finally finishes its incredibly destructive crumble downward, we can see that this issue is devastatingly simple. Any words used to govern a person must be said by a relatable ally, or the rules are empty and harmful.

“We can’t earn equality in this world for men, we have to make it ourselves. Women are the creators and sustainers of human life. We’ll use the power of our voices not to control others, but to liberate ourselves to create and sustain humankind more effectively. This is everybody’s world now.” — Calin Peters, The Ballroom Thieves

Photo credit: Anthony Mulcahy

10 Bands Returning with New Music in 2020

Posted on by Editor

Roots music is already taking hold this decade, with ten notable bands preparing to release their newest albums in the months ahead. From award-winning bluegrass bands to prominent Americana ensembles, here are ten projects BGS believes are worth your attention.

The Ballroom Thieves, Unlovely (February 14)

This band’s undeniable energy has endeared them to crowds at Boston Calling, Newport Folk, Moon River, Mountain Jam, and Calgary Folk. However, folk music is just one part of their approach. The political messages are especially evident in Unlovely, while a new relationship between band members Callie Peters and Martin Earley informs the songwriting as well. Listen for Darlingside on the title track.

Della Mae, Headlight (January 17)

Prodigiously talented as instrumentalists and empowered by their mission of women’s rights, Della Mae make a statement on Headlight, especially in their support of those women whose claims of sexual abuse have been questioned. This time out, their sound is bolstered by keys, drums, and electric guitar. The trio of Jenni Lyn Gardner, Kimber Ludiker, and Celia Woodsmith will be touring in the U.K. this month.

Drive-By Truckers, The Unraveling (January 31)

The modern political climate informs Drive-By Truckers’ The Unraveling, with titles like “Armageddon’s Back in Town,” “Thoughts and Prayers” and “Babies in Cages.” Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley battled writer’s block for their first album in four years but it’s easy to figure out who ultimately inspired this set of songs, which were recorded in Memphis with producer David Barbe and engineer Matt Ross-Spang.

Dustbowl Revival, Is It You, Is It Me (January 31)

Dustbowl Revival decided to shake things up on Is It You, Is It Me. First of all, the Los Angeles-band wrote the songs in a two-week window in the studio, rather than fine-tuning them on the road. Second, the musical inspirations stretch further than usual, with pop vibes and percussion getting ample space. With Z. Lupetin and Liz Beebe on lead vocals, and produced by Sam Kassirer, this is one of the most exuberant records you’ll hear this year.

The Haden Triplets, The Family Songbook (January 24)

After an uncle discovered a songbook from the Haden Triplet’s grandfather, a radio star in the 1930s, the LA ensemble carried the material to the studio. The Family Songbook echoes that earlier era, while its covers range from the Carter Family to Kanye West. Their brother Josh Haden wrote “Every Time I Try.” A stunning musical blend comes naturally to the siblings, as their father was jazz bassist Charlie Haden.

The Lil Smokies, Tornillo (January 24)

While this roots band has origins in Montana, the Lil Smokies recorded Tornillo in a Texas town of that name – the site of Sonic Ranch Studio. While clearly influenced by bluegrass, the Lil Smokies capably transcend its borders. Their instrumental and vocal skills are evident in “Worlds on Fire,” yet bandleader Andy Dunnigan writes abstract lyrics that are just open-ended enough to put your own experiences inside.

The Lone Bellow, Half Moon Light (February 7)

Everything that has propelled The Lone Bellow into the hearts of live music fans is found in abundance within Half Moon Light. The passionate delivery, the poetic lyrics, the propulsive melodies – all accounted for. This time the trio teamed with The National’s Aaron Dessner, who produced the album at his studio in upstate New York. A three-month U.S. tour kicks off Feb. 12-13 at the Troubadour in Los Angeles.

The SteelDrivers, Bad for You (February 7)

The lonesome growl of the SteelDrivers is now delivered by Kelvin Damrell, a raspy singer and guitarist who makes his debut recorded appearance in the lineup on Bad for You. (No pressure, but their 2015 album won a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album.) Founding member and fiddle player Tammy Rogers co-wrote 10 of the 11 new songs and sings harmony, too. Their spring tour launches February 6 in Bristol, Tennessee.

The Wood Brothers, Kingdom in My Mind (January 24)

Even when they’re writing about heavy topics, the Wood Brothers bring joy into their music. Kingdom in My Mind offers a mature perspective with a timeless groove, although the album came together by chance after building their own studio in Nashville. After listening back to some jam sessions, they discovered they could carve out some new tracks. Tunes like “Little Bit Sweet” capture that unmistakable magic.

Wood Belly, Man on the Radio (January 31)

A bright spot on Colorado’s bluegrass scene, Wood Belly worked with producer Sally Van Meter to further tap into their harmony-driven sound and arrangements. “Can’t Get Behind” (with special guest Jeremy Garrett) is about needing acceptance, although the band has found exceptional allies already with an IBMA Momentum Award nomination and a win in the 2018 Telluride Bluegrass Band Competition.

Photo of The Ballroom Thieves: Shervin Lainez