Seattle musician, Nat Puff (aka Left at London), creates music that sounds like it was poured from the pitcher of her heart. Blood, sweat and tears saturate the artist’s songs, which have raised eyebrows and earned the attention from the prominent Emerald City radio station, KEXP 90.3, and fans around the world. READ MORE…
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Hoofing through the better part of a decade, Gainesville’s 9-piece retro-soul and blues amalgam The Savants of Soul have been threading the needle, pinpointing the evolution of their sound to the city of Muscle Shoals, where they recorded their forthcoming record at Rick Hall’s legendary FAME Studios. Over the course of ten days, the band recorded 14 songs with acclaimed producer Vince Chiarito (Charles Bradley, Black Pumas) and engineer John Gifford III, Studio A manager, tenant and student of Rick Hall (Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta James), aka “the father of Muscle Shoals music.”
The Savants of Soul embody an idea that comes from literary master William Faulkner – “the past is never dead.” It’s an approach that’s brought the band recognition on the national festival scene, including the Gasparilla Music Festival, and to share bills with Benjamin Booker, Durand Jones & The Indications, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Original Wailers and the late Charles Bradley, who has also called Gainesville home. The group relies heavily on their live sound and energy, with an airtight rhythm section that summons the warmth, vibrance and nitty-gritty confluence of The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (aka The Swampers). The nine members imbue their music with a swagger, verve and exuberance that feels distinctly Southern.
The Savants of Soul’s forthcoming self-titled record (out 9/18), sees the evolution of their sound with a very different group of people from those who recorded on Downtown Sound and Sunday Best. “We’ve grown in many different ways: emotionally, spiritually, and quite literally with this newest iteration of the band,” says bassist and founding member, John Gray Shermyen. “And Religiously,” quips powerhouse vocalist and self-proclaimed “Reverend of Rhythm,” Justin McKenzie. The other members include principle guitarist Will Campbell, Zack Emerson (keyboards), Mandy Ferwerda (trumpet, vocals), Jacob Armstrong (trombone), Jordan Jones (tenor saxophone), Ray Vigil (baritone sax) and Benny Cannon (drums).
The Savants of Soul isn’t worlds apart from previous releases, “Dead Man Running” or “Missed Connections,” insofar as you’re still effectively transported to an era evocative of one-night-only shows on the chitlin circuit, where Sam Cooke and James Brown drove audiences into a frenzy with gritty, brassy soul. Although, the group has dialed back on predilections for Motown in favor of something blusier, more Southern sounding, grittier, rich and replete with dynamics that aren’t too labored, but rather succinct and in the pocket.
“Son Be Strong,” written by John Gray Shermyen, broaches the topic of toxic masculinity, told from the perspective of a neerdowell father figure, who’s likely to chide or say something brusque, like “rub some dirt on it and quit yer cryin’,” Mckenzie adds with an apt ad lib. “It’s an indictment of this kind of behavior, that is unfortunately still prevalent in the world… this zero-sum-game viewpoint of life that is really harmful and toxic for the world, both for people personally and the expectations built around being a man and how to act. And I think it’s been beaten into men, particularly; some by fathers and some by social pressures to be a certain way,” says John Gray.
“Right on Time,” another album highlight, was co-written by Ferwerda and Emerson about one week prior to the sessions at FAME. Emerson had been working out two open-ended chords in a Donny Hathaway song, enamored by the mileage of this particular i-iv progression. This ultimately led him to the design of “Right on Time,” but not before a series of happy accidents, willfully unpatched at the behest of former bandmate, drummer and one of the original founders, Alex Klausner. The resulting triumph yields a warm wurlitzer intro akin to Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved a Man” – recorded on the exact same instrument – and horns that breathe cool jazz into Studio A, while Ferwerda lights up the floor with golden-age gospel pipes reminiscent of Southern luminary Candi Staton.
“Old Ways,” an Emerson and Mckenzie composition, is a country meets soul original, inspired by Willie Nelson and the genre’s storytelling arc. “I always wanted to write music like that,” says Emerson, who had recently kicked the habit of smoking after returning from Korea. “We as human beings have trouble overcoming habits, and it’s really easy to get pulled back into your old ways, so this song is about coming to terms with that, and the only way to do so is to make those confessions,” says Emerson.
Drawing on similarities in composition and the natural inclination to transition from country to soul, Emerson cites Etta James and the magic of classic chord progressions: “This one was originally a country song, and I was really trying to draw on some of those themes, like how Etta James’ ‘Tell Mama,’ which was also recorded at FAME Studios, incorporates the i-iii-V-vi progression – something so ubiquitous and in so many styles of music. I used to hear it in gospel churches, back when I was playing in Lake City, and I’ve heard it in tons of soul songs, country songs and rock songs; it’s a part of American music, culture and sound that I wanna bring into what we’re doing,” says Emerson.
The Savants of Soul not only play music of the era, but they put a lot of time and energy into recreating those sounds – painstakingly so – maintaining tones and constantly dialing into what each other is playing; effectively, it is with that kind of sentiment, hyper-attentiveness and diligence that the band provides a platform for success, constantly interacting in meaningful ways.
“We cook dinner together. We all hang out afterwards. We make meals for each other. And there’s something to be said about that. You hear about bands who are at each other’s throats. We might get on each other’s nerves when we’re tired, but there’s no group of people in the world that I’d rather be spending a week on vacation with or spending a week on tour with, or sharing a stage with at any point in time,” says Emerson, declaring a familial sentiment, evidently unanimous with the band.
“They say that it’s who you know that helps move you along in life. Granted, it takes talent — and lots of it — to become successful. But surrounding yourself with influential individuals can’t help but further the cause.
The Rev. Greg Spradlin was fortunate enough to associate with a revered batch of musicians, starting with the late, great player and producer Jim Dickinson, the man he considered his mentor. Hi-Watter, Spradlin’s belatedly released new album, features a supporting cast that includes a number of venerable, veteran contributors — bassist Davey Farragher of Cracker and John Hiatt and Elvis Costello’s bands, Los Lobos co-founder David Hidalgo, the late keyboard player Rudy Copeland and another Elvis alumni, drummer Pete Thomas, among others — still carries Dickinson’s spirit in both style and set-up. Indeed, Hi-Watter is an auspicious debut, and yet, it nearly didn’t get released at all.
Spradlin’s songs had been gestating for quite some time prior to 2010, which is when the album was recorded. However before it could be released, a series of tragic mishaps occurred which not only delayed the album, but threatened to derail it entirely. The list of unfortunate events that transpired reads like a script from a soap opera. First, a close member of Spradlin’s family passed away. Then his former drummer and close friend of 15 years died, followed by his dog and his cat. The air conditioning in his home went out in the midst of an Arkansas summer, which was especially troubling given that his wife was pregnant at the time. To complicate matters even further, Spradlin was dealing with the uncertainty of the music biz and the trials and tribulations of attempting to secure a record deal.
“It turned into a hectic year, and that stretched on into another nine,” Spradlin recalls. “I’m real bad about working on records and then letting go. I’m never happy with it. It’s not like I’m a perfectionist, but I have to reach a level where I’m happy. So that made it easier to let go. I wanted to do it right and put it out right. I wanted it to have a happy birth. After all those years, I I think that was achieved.”
In the interim however, Spradlin had decided to pack it all in. “I thought, you know what — maybe I should take a hint.,” he mused. He travelled overseas to work with a non-profit charitable group and eventually ended up in Ghana aiding poor African villagers living in less than ideal conditions.
Nevertheless, he eventually realized that being away wasn’t the answer to his misgivings either. “The whole time I was doing it, I had this feeling that maybe this was something I was supposed to be doing now,” he recalls. “But it’s not the thing I’m supposed to be doing forever. I know that making music was the thing I was meant to do with my life. I was fighting with the universe. I should have just relaxed and let it happen.” Reclaiming his musical muse, he went home, rediscovered the recordings, and found a label that was willing to release the music a full ten years after its recording.” READ MORE…
I’ll listen to anything featuring Kelly Hogan’s harmonies. She’s the special sauce secret ingredient in some of my favorite recordings by Neko Case, the Decemberists, Mavis Staples, and tons more. Her solo stuff is great too. Plus, she tended bar at the Hideout for most of the time I lived in Chicago.
Back in 2001 she told Jim Derogatis that she’d record with just about anybody who asks (“I’m pretty slutty that way, pretty easy, but I always enjoy a challenge.”), but she’s been more selective lately. The drummer for Young Antiques used to be in Hogan’s old band the Jody Grind.
Sixteen-year-old Memphis singer, Brooke Fair is gearing up to release her new single, “Universe.” Surviving the Golden Age is excited to premiere the track. READ MORE…
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The Atlantic coastline often conjures up a specific set of images: sandy beaches, densely populated boardwalks, and colorful rows of umbrellas. In New Jersey, these images persist alongside those of its own cultural microcosm, one of working class pride, vintage automobiles, and all the woes on which Springsteen built his career. It’s at this nexus of idyllic and down-to-earth where you’ll find singer/songwriter HESS’s debut solo LP Lamplight Motel. But make no mistake, this is not your typical, “Rock & roller discovers Bruce” record; the ethos has been ingrained from the beginning. HESS was born in the same town as Springsteen, Long Branch, NJ, and with Lamplight Motel, has crafted a fully-realized portrait of life and death on the New Jersey coast—equally beautiful, seedy, and forlorn—all built upon dreamy layers of warm, vintage synthesizers, punchy electronic percussion and soulful, R&B-inspired vocals.
For the past decade, HESS has made a name for himself as the principal songwriter and vocalist for New York rock & roll powerhouse Mail the Horse, garnering praise from media outlets including Brooklyn Vegan, Paste, Spin, American Songwriter, Relix, PopMatters, and more for his hand in crafting the particular brand of boisterous, rootsy bar-rock that earned the band festival slots at Bonnaroo, Firefly, South By Southwest & more. Simultaneously, HESS has established himself as one of the more sought-after keyboardists in New York City, steadily building a resume of live performance and session work that includes work with comedian John Early and his variety shows “Literally Me” and “Now More Than Ever,” touring with staple NYC Americana acts Don DiLego and Hollis Brown, and playing keys for East Village legend Jesse Malin in his full band live-stream series throughout the COVID-19 lockdown. Now, with the creation of Lamplight Motel, HESS has gracefully moved into his auteur period, taking control of his sound and recording his most personal work to date. “When you’re working with a band, you don’t get to put yourself into the music as much, it’s about the band as a whole,” says HESS. “This was kind of my first exploration into more personal storytelling. My old songs would be inspired by real events or people, but I wouldn’t dig too deep. I think I was afraid what being that vulnerable might bring out in myself.”
To bring his vision to life, HESS enlisted Savior Adore’s Paul Hammer and spent roughly a year and a half commuting back and forth between his home in Brooklyn and Hammer’s studio in Upstate New York, crashing in Hammer’s guest room between marathon recording sessions. The hours of travel and erratic schedule proved worth it in the end, with Hammer’s production savvy leading to the creation of the lush, expansive soundscapes that set the tone for the entirety of Lamplight Motel. “Paul and I were always on the same page with the aesthetic ideas for the album,” says HESS. “We talked about mood a lot, put up pictures of 70s and 80s motels, the beach, a lot of nostalgic Jersey shore images. That’s my background and my spiritual home, so we channeled that and built the sound around that aesthetic.”
Sonically, Lamplight Motel blends 70s-inspired folk with modern psych-rock and synth-pop, while nodding towards hints of classic R&B and New Wave. On the hazy lead single “I’ll Drive,” HESS pulls influences from folk and funk and wraps them in layers of swirling, Tame Impala-esque psych. The sound is at once dreamy and melancholy, conjuring images of neon-bathed streets and palm trees, but also conveying a deep wistfulness. “‘I’ll Drive’ is for people who need the road to feel like themselves,” says HESS. “After spending years touring, many of my friends and I are more familiar with the highways than with our own families and friends. ‘I’ll Drive’ is an anthem for those of us who, when an argument hits the tipping point and we can’t face the realities of life, just drive.”
This tension between Lamplight Motel’s laid-back aesthetic and emotionally bare lyrical content results in an album greater than the sum of its already-exceptional parts. The contrast continues throughout the record, such as on “Believer Outta Me,” a stark exploration of religion and faith in the wake of loss inspired by the death of HESS’ grandfather, that opens as a piano ballad before warping into a psych-pop groove complete with 80s-inspired synths, swirling, chorus-heavy guitars and electronic hand claps. “While I was writing Lamplight Motel, some important people in my life started dying,” says HESS. “I found it was a little helpful for me to feel like they were still around in some way. It helped me deal with the loss, especially with my grandfather. It’s about the process of becoming a believer in something, even if I don’t know what.”
The concept of loss permeates throughout almost the entirety of Lamplight Motel whether it’s the loss of life outlined in “Believer Outta Me” and “No Delays (For Josephine),” the loss of romance (“Red Clouds”), or loss of innocence (“Whisper Wildwood”), while the album’s closer & title track is a reflection on life and love from the window next to a hospital bed, inspired by HESS’ uncle’s battle with lung cancer and the comfort of a home filled with memories.
Lamplight Motel is HESS’ reintroduction as a songwriting powerhouse. As a solo artist outside of the confines of the traditional band structure, his sonic palette has expanded and his storytelling has become more poignant. With its tropical-tinged hazy melodies backing HESS’ emotionally resonant lyricism, Lamplight Motel is a full-bodied exploration of growth and loss in the working class and a reminder that darkness and loss don’t only exist in the low-lit basements and bedrooms of the world, but in seemingly idyllic beach town settings as well.