The band’s willingness to incorporate new ideas into their music while staying close to their familiar sound is what keeps fans around and adds new ones to the fold. With Live the Love Beautiful they continue to do just that taking their music to new places with recently acquired guitarist Laur Joamets and producer Aaron Lee Tasjan.
Columbus, Ohio-based artist Angela Perley salutes struggling musicians on the resolute “Local Heroes,” a pensive, slow-burning country ballad about the seemingly never-ending grind of a road warrior. From long drives between gigs to splitting the paltry earnings between band members, the song captures a night in the life of many musicians.
“All this driving has got me thinking about how small I really am,” Perley sings. “Playing music in some dark room/ Splitting money with the band.”
Perley says the song, the latest release from her forthcoming album 4:30 (out on Aug. 2), was written with her own heroes and peers in mind.
“‘Local Heroes’ is an ode to every musician that is out there grinding it out, night after night, year after year. It’s my salute to them, to let them know they are not alone, that their voice matters, and to keep going,” Perley tells Wide Open Country. “It’s also in memory of some of the greats we lost too soon, including many musicians and friends I’ve seen follow either a destructive path or just completely give up on music.”
“There are a lot of smoke and mirrors in the music business and I don’t think people realize the weight and amount of pressure that is put on musicians mentally and physically. To be away from your family and loved ones most of the time can be isolating and can cause strain on those relationships,” Perley continues. “There can be some casualties involved in friendships too, when people perceive certain amounts of success in others. Some will take the route of jealousy and actively root against their peers instead of standing and celebrating with them and that has never made sense to me…Overall though, the song is a love song to other musicians out there. It’s about hope and about sending love and strength to those on their journey.”
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Norwegian-American singer/songwriter Signe Marie Rustad was born and raised on a farm in central Norway, where the forest, river and fields have filled her with a deep calmness and never-ending restlessness. As a result, many of her songs carry within them a search for a balance between these elements.
After catching the attention of the growing americana-loving audience in Norway with 2012 debut Golden Town – the title a reference to her mother’s hometown Golden, Colorado – Rustad secured her first Spellemann (Norwegian Grammy) nomination with critically acclaimed second album Hearing Colors Seeing Noises (2016).
On upcoming third album, When Words Flew Freely, Rustad returns with the powerful, elastic voice and poetic lyrical style that has earned her a loyal fan base in Norway. The album’s nine tracks revolve around traumatic life events, and the feeling of emotional stagnation, with a severe writer’s block as a result. On the first single from the album, Rustad says:
“’Die With Your Boots On’ was my writer’s block recovery, written parallel with recovering emotionally from a traumatic time in my personal life. The song basically addresses how music can save your life, and it was initially written as a homage to my booking team and all the great music they’ve brought on to stages and played during their DJ-sets around Oslo. ?’So the night came with darkness, but there’s plenty of light in a pure, golden, heartfelt voice that breaks the ice’: I’m trying to describe the magic that can happen when you’re in the audience at a concert, or just someplace where music is being played – and maybe you haven’t had a very good day – and then a voice, an instrument, the words of a song or just something that you can’t quite pinpoint in what you are hearing grounds your feet, creates this warm feeling inside your chest and truly makes you feel like everything is going to be OK. The phrase ‘Die With Your Boots On’ is kind of an alternative way of saying ‘don’t give up’. Despite anything you may be going through, don’t ever give up. Don’t take those boots off – don’t stop walking onwards.”
Together with producer Kenneth Ishak (of Norwegian cult-band Beezewax), and with backing from new label Die With Your Boots On Records, Rustad looks to build on the success of her previous albums, with a new excursion into free-flowing, folksy, cosmic music.
When Words Flew Freely is scheduled for worldwide release on November 1st, with single “Die With Your Boots On” out May 31st, and second single “Something Easier” out on September 27th.
“With valiant lyrics, poignant beauty in song, revelry in harmonies, Signe takes you up higher, to a plateau of notions unheard of. A singing reference for what had been in her life’s calling, to the road that seems bumpy at times, but so very rewarding.” – Comeherefloyd
“Signe Marie Rustad’s second album is an obvious Spellemann [Grammy] candidate.” – Dagens Næringsliv
“A record that meets all expectations. […] The music is as delicate as falling leaves, the verses brush the listener like a breeze through the forest.” – Dagbladet
“To paraphrase John Prine on Iris DeMent: Listen to that Signe Marie Rustad, it might be good for you!” – Popklikk
“It’s rare to hear musicians with such a clear vision of, and most importantly the ability to realize, the music that lives in them.” –Musikknyheter.no
“When this sequel now comes soaring, it’s almost impossible not to be blown away.” – VG
“The voice rarely lets go, and penetrates the desert landscape like a fresh stream. […] There are lots of landscapes in the music – landscapes at night. It might be a village by Glomma, or a an American small town in Colorado.” – Vårt Land
“At her best, Signe Marie Rustad combines the British folk scene from the 70’s with American country expertly.” – iTromsø
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The High Divers have been covered by Paste, Performer Magazine, KDHX, practically every outlet in their hometown of Charleston and are consistently named one of the best bands in South Carolina. Now, with their new Sadler Vaden-produced EP, Ride With You — an emotion-clad and wholly triumphant project — this four-piece are poised to break out on a national scale.
“Sadler wanted us to really focus on songs that were entwined with our lives and real experiences, which got us writing from a much deeper level. There are songs about losing friends to suicide, trying to live with gratitude while struggling with PTSD, abusive relationships, busting out of your close-minded hometown, and finding peace falling in love with yourself and someone new. We would play Sadler a bunch of songs, and then we’d play one that was really close to our chest, and he’d say “Why didn’t you play me that one first, that’s the song!” We were hiding from songs that felt too vulnerable and raw, while that’s exactly what he was looking for.”
“I’m still kickin’!” frontman Luke Mitchell howls with guttural intensity on the closing track. “Still Kickin’” is the snow-capped peak of this new batch of music and the statement piece of the band members’ lives in this moment. “It happened so fast / Do you understand how lucky you are to be sitting here?” he provokes the listener to engage with their state of being, as well. The air slips out of his lungs in hurricane gusts, but it’s his conviction that is especially moving.
The raw, unsettling realization that life could slip from your grasp any minute is the bedrock of the EP, which was recorded at East Nashville’s Jeremy Ferguson-owned Battle Tapes Studio. The band, consisting of the married Luke (vocals, guitar) and Mary Alice Mitchell (keyboards, vocals), Julius DeAngelis (drums) and Kevin Early (bass, vocals), learned that hard lesson nearly two years ago when their touring van was T-boned by a semi-trailer truck. They rose out of the wreckage with broken bones, deep scars, and a new perspective on human existence.
Swelling with melancholy, the title cut “Ride With You” mourns that empty feeling born out of small-town life and needing something more reinvigorating, while “Stick Around” is an urgent call-to-action in the wake of numerous friends falling prey to suicide. “If you’re hurting, your house is haunted / You just need a friend around,” Mitchell beckons, his hand extending in an enveloping token of compassion.
Out of Hilton Head Island, the band members played in various entities, including multiple cover and original bands in their youth, but wouldn’t link up as a proper collective until 2014. With Mary Alice calling upon her classical piano training, she would seamlessly add a whole new element that would perfectly compliment Luke’s songwriting sensibilities, where her gifts have never been more suited. Her voice, a force of its own, is a perfect counter-balance to Luke’s woody timbre.
Mary Alice and Luke tied the knot two years ago, and that romantic entanglement allows the band to display even more heart and tremendous amounts of sacrifice. “Being married and out on the road can be challenging, but we make a good team and have a good support system in place. We are each other’s creative counterpoint, and we’re constantly working. We have to remind ourselves to try and have a day off every now and then, to do normal ‘married couple’ things.”
Ride With You was born out of struggle, but across these six tracks, there emerges warmth, love, understanding, and freedom. “Having to do the thing you’re most afraid of for your job is hard. We’re a little more nervous than we used to be driving from city to city. It’s really put touring into perspective for us. We always took it seriously, but now, it’s much more so. We always hold it in higher regard,” says Luke. Mary Alice chimes in, “We try to give it our all on stage because it’s like…what if I don’t get to do this tomorrow?”
The High Divers have never sounded better. Even as they are forever haunted by that fateful day, their spirits are intertwined together in a powerful new way. This new EP then underscores their courage, determination, grit, and ability to forge an even brighter future against all odds. Working with Vaden as a producer helped them find a sound that they are excited to share as they continue to tour the country.
“Working with Sadler was one of the highlights of our creative lives, and his ability to cut through the bullshit and get at the heart of the song was so refreshing. This is some of the best work we’ve done as a band, and Sadler was there in the trenches with us the entire time.”
“Contrasts haunting lyrics about a mutually-abusive relationship with singalong choruses and spaghetti-western guitar tones.” – Rolling Stone
“Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahk…incredibly fantastic…cuts right to the heart.” – Red Line Roots
“An emotion-clad and wholly triumphant project — this four-piece are poised to break out on a national scale.” – Glide Magazine
“As frontman Luke Mitchell explains it, the song was inspired by a terrible wreck the band had while touring through Arizona…The crunchy rocker finds triumph in the band’s trying time.” – American Songwriter Magazine
“Should be on every Americana music lover’s ‘must-have’ list.” – Americana Highways
Publicist: Rachel Hurley
“Rachel and Baby Robot Media took such good care of us by getting us the coverage we felt our music deserved. Rachel’s professionalism, and constant contact kept our team on the same page for the entirety of our campaign and knowing that we had the folks at Baby Robot working on our behalf was quite a relief. We can’t thank Rachel enough for believing in our music, and helping us to cut through the noise, all while considering our busy touring schedule and odd hours. Rachel Hurley is a badass!” – Luke Mitchell
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Drivin N Cryin are a rock ‘n’ roll institution. From their days as MTV-approved radio stars to their rebirth as DIY icons of the American underground, they’ve spent three and a half decades building a legacy grounded in sharp songwriting, southern stomp, and loud, life affirming shows. Trends have come and gone. Bandmates have done the same. But Drivin N Cryin continue to hit the stage night after night, guitars in hand, amplifiers on full blast, delivering the soundtrack to a self-made rock & roll saga that’s ever-unfolding.
That saga reaches a new high-water mark with Live the Love Beautiful, the band’s first full-length album since their 2009 working-class rock opera, Whatever Happened to the Great American Bubble Factory. Produced by Aaron Lee Tasjan, the new record is an anthemic blast of full-spectrum rock & roll, with frontman Kevn Kinney singing about the troubled times of modern-day America; the trials and triumphs of an adulthood logged on the road; the benefits of appreciating the small things in life; and even the legacy of the Faces’ late keyboardist, Ian McLagan. Together, these 11 songs connect the dots between the sounds that have shaped Drivin N Cryin’s career since the beginning, mixing together the jangle of folk music, the weirdo textures of 1960s psychedelia, the punky slash-and-burn of old-school rock & roll, and the sweep of Kinney’s southern ballads.
Live the Love Beautiful also shines a light on the band’s revamped roster, with guitar hero Laur Joamets — an Estonian-born instrumentalist who first moved to America to perform with Sturgill Simpson, making his debut on the singer’s Grammy-nominated Metamodern Sounds in Country Music — recently joining the ranks of Kinney, bass-playing co-founder Tim Nielsen, and longtime drummer Dave V. Johnson. He’s a welcome addition, widening the band’s dynamic peaks and adding nuance to their quieter moments. The lineup may be revised, but the beating heart of Drivin N Cryin pounds just as hard today as it did in 1985, when Kinney and Nielsen played their first show together.
One thing that has changed, though, is the production. Decades removed from the gated drums that pulsed their way throughout Fly Me Courageous, the band’s most commercially successful release to date, Live the Love Beautiful captures the energy and electricity of DNC’s live shows. Most of these songs were captured in a series of live takes at Welcome to 1979 Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. The mood was spontaneous and creative. More importantly, it was brotherly. Tasjan was already a close friend of the band, having toured the country for two years as DNC’s guitarist following the departure of Sadler Vaden. He hosted some of Love Beautiful’s earliest songwriting sessions at his house in East Nashville and, months later, helped keep things flowing in the studio itself, encouraging the bandmates to plug in, turn up, and do what they’ve always done best: play together as a live band.
“Aaron knows me as well as I know myself,” says Kinney, whose voice — a mix of southern snarl, folksy croon, and rock-club rasp — remains just as signature to DNC’s sound as their larger-than-life guitar riffs. “He knows what people are expecting from us, and he knows what we’re missing. I love his songwriting, his voice, the way he makes records… and I wanted him to make our record in whatever way he thought best.”
Like Whatever Happened to the Great American Bubble Factory, Live the Love Beautiful kicks off with a populist anthem about everyday Americans, capitalist corporations, and the widening gap between the two. The song is “Free Ain’t Free,” and it’s an absolute banger, laced with a sweeping chorus and crashing power chords. From there, the album celebrates the slow, steady path toward a life free of addiction with “Step by Step,” gets moodily political with the MC5-sized swagger of “Spies,” and takes a countrified turn during “Over and Over.” There’s plenty of guitar crunch sprinkled throughout, including harmonized solos, interwoven riffs, and some expert slide guitar from Joamets.
“The album falls somewhere between Mystery Road and the EPs that we made with Sadler,” says Nielsen, who — like Kinney — grew up in the American Midwest before moving to Atlanta, where Drivin N Cryin was formed. “It covers all the Drivin N Cryin bases, from acoustic guitar songs to hard-rockin’ electric guitars. We’ve got Laur playing slide guitar, too, which we haven’t really had on other albums, so this is also a step toward something new.” “Straight to Hell.” “Honeysuckle Rose.” “Fly Me Courageous.” “Let’s Go Dancing.” Drivin N Cryin still play those old-school favorites every night, nodding to the songs that helped build their cult following decades earlier. Thanks to Live the Love Beautiful, they now have almost a dozen additional signature songs in their arsenal — songs that double down on the best parts of DNC’s musical past while opening up new possibilities for the band’s future. 35 years after their formation, Drivin N Cryin is still moving forward at highway speed, chasing down new horizons, sharpening the legacy that’s already landed them in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. They’re scarred but smarter…and they’re nowhere close to finished.
“We’ve been fighting to be valid for so long,” says Kinney. “All I know is, if you lost your record deal in 1993, would you have spent the next 25 years without a record deal, making your own records, traveling around in a van, playing bars and wherever else you can, just because you believed in what you were doing? Just because you loved it? Because that’s what we do. I think we’re America’s best-kept secret.”
“Sonically, the track infuses jangly pop-rock with hints of twang and psychedelia.” – American Songwriter Magazine
“It’s a jangly slice of heartland rock that underscores the relentless spirit of Drivin N Cryin’s leader Kevn Kinney.” – Rolling Stone
“The 11-track set is among DNC’s strongest, a dynamic and diverse Americana excursion with touches of garage and psychedelic rock.” – Billboard
“Sharp songwriting, southern stomp, and loud, life-affirming shows.” – Glide Magazine
“Equal parts humbucker thunderstroke and acoustic filigree. Kinney’s relatable yelp and slacker-poet songs are the threads sewing it all together.” – AL.com
It’s been a long past year of milestones for Kate Vargas since the June 2018 PopMatters premiere of a previous single, “7 Inches”.
Vargas tells PopMatters about her latest single, “Nothing Turns My Lock”: “This song started at the Holiday Music Motel in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, one of the most magical places on earth. Owned and operated by Pat Macdonald (Timbuk3, Purgatory Hill) and Melaniejane (Purgatory Hill), the place functions as a fun retro hotel year-round but, three times out of the year, 30-40 songwriters and a handful of engineers from all over are invited there for a week of songwriting. On the first night, we spin the bottle for our songwriting partners, write and record a song in about 24 hours, and then do it again the next night and the next night.”