March 2010 Newsletter
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
LITTLE VIGILS
Last October, in the crisp autumn days between summer's long decline and the first frost, I headed up to Maine with a small group of some of my favorite musicians and closest friends. My intentions were simple: let's hang out together for four days with a batch of new songs, add pedal steel, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, pump organ, upright bass (and more than a little whiskey), press "record" and see what happens. The music business had changed so much in the short time since making my previous record. I had neither a clear agenda for how I wanted things to sound, nor a clue as to what form the finished project would take.
Given such a modest beginning, I am very proud to announce the arrival of my new record, Little Vigils. Produced once again by Zack Hickman and recorded at The Great North Sound Society (a Maine farmhouse ca. 1790), I think of Little Vigils as the musical equivalent of comfort food. Songs of love, faith, family and the innocence of high school rock n' roll, all infused with finely wrought natural imagery and delivered against a backdrop of rustic, backporch twang.
I am taking pre-orders now, and "Little Vigils" will be available on my website and concerts after March 16th. Can't wait that long? Hear it for yourself RIGHT NOW: the record streaming in its entirety here.
You might think that having done this seven times before, that I would be used to how it feels to put new music out into the world. The music business, and the whole relationship between art and consumption, is now evolving so briskly that it's hard for my dreams to keep pace. If "indie" means raking it in by licensing music to network TV shows and multinational corporations, then I have no idea what to call releasing a record on my own with no record label or sizable promotional campaign for the first time in 10 years. I keep hearing that "no one sells records anymore," and yet more artists than ever continue to make them. Add hard economic times into the equation, and I freely admit that I have no idea where this is all going.
I keep coming back to one central truth: I want to make music for people. I have always done it the hard way, and likely always will. Night after night, town after town, song after song, usually just myself and my guitar. I have no illusions of fame, but it is my sincere desire to be more than someone's best kept secret. I dearly hope "Little Vigils" becomes a part of your life. But I also hope you are so moved by it that you can't keep it to yourself. No one's got a lot of money these days, so all I ask is that if this music brings you joy...share that joy with others. Blog about it, play it in the coffeeshop where you work or for someone on a long car ride, Facebook or Twitter it, forward a YouTube video to someone you think might like it. Encourage a friend who's never heard me to join you at a concert.
I can't wait for you to hear "Little Vigils," and I hope to see you all (and then some) when I pass through your town in the coming months.
NAPTIME TAPES: There's another episode of the Naptime Tapes up on YouTube! This time around I'm playing "Five Beer Moon" in my (newly painted) basement. Check it out here.
SEVEN CURSES: The much-rumored collection of murder ballads I recorded with Jeffrey Foucault is about to see the light of day...at least, in Europe. The fine folks at Continental Record Services have set a release date of March 9th for "Seven Curses." Jeff and myself (two young fathers with busy solo careers and no managers) do not have a date set for US release as of now, but we are working on it. You'll be the first to know. I promise.
MP3 of the MONTH: Ok, so last month's mp3 was inadvertently the same one I offered last November. What can I say in my defense? I used to be a lot smarter. To make up for my spaciness, I'm giving away not one, but TWO mp3s this month. The first is a demo of "Pauline," the last track on Little Vigils. The second free mp3 is a smokin' version of "Troubadour Blues" from a recent concert. Both are available for free for the month of March here. Enjoy!
THE SHOWS:
Fri Mar 5th - One Longfellow Square - Portland ME - 8 pm
A really special show to kick off the month. As if it's not enough that I get to come back to Portland, where I lived for a few years and made many fond friends and memories, but I get to return for a shared bill with one of my musical heroes: Bill Morrissey. I will spend all night trying to convey how much Bill's music means to me, and he'll spend all night trying to not call me "Grasshopper."
Sat Mar 6th - Temple Isaiah - Lexington MA - 8 pm
Just a few towns away from where I grew up, I'm expecting lots of folks who think of me less as a successful singer/songwriter, than as Conrad Birdie from the high school play or a young tennis player who had to wear a back brace. Come on out...you never know what sort of sordid tale of my past lives you might be able to get from the person sitting next to you.
Sun Mar 14th - Cultural Center of Cape Cod - Yarmouth MA - 8 pm
I married a Cape Cod girl, so I always look forward to playing on the Cape. That this is a benefit for a great organization trying to get its sea legs, the New England Folk Music Archives, makes me that much more excited about the show. The venue will also feature a traveling exhibition of vintage photos, folk art, and folk music history ephemera.
Thu Mar 18th - European Street Cafe - Jacksonville FL - 8:30 pm
Jacksonvillle....hmm. I went to a music conference here once, but have never done a show of my own here. I have no idea what to expect for this one...but if it was a room full of enthusiastic listeners I wouldn't be disappointed!
Fri Mar 19th - Hideaway Cafe - St. Petersburg FL - 7:30 pm
The tag line for this new venue is "Where Music Is The Only Thing On The Menu." Good enough for me! Come on out and let's check out this place together. I can't wait.
Sun Mar 21st - Biology Leadership Conference (private show) - Naples FL
Playing for tomorrow's biological leaders...today. This is a private event, I just wanted to rub it in.
Fri Mar 26th - Night Cat - Easton MD - 8 pm
I can't remember the last month with so many debuts in venues and towns I've never been in before. I'm running out of clever ways to say "I've never been to this town before, please don't make me play here alone." I've never been to this town before, please don't make me play here alone
Sat Mar 27th - Rockwood Music Hall - New York NY - 7 pm
New York City. I get pumped up for it every time I pass through. I'm saving up my parking karma for this gig. I've never played here but have heard so many great things about the room that I'm honored to make my debut.
Sun Mar 28th - University Cafe - Stony Brook NY - 2 pm
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon? It's been a few years since I was last here, and this time I'm excited to make an appearance on the Sunday Street radio program on WUSB at 10 am the day of the show. The venue is located in the Student Union building at Stony Brook University.
ON THE HORIZON:
Apr 2 - Passim, Cambridge MA
Apr 16 - Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Old Saybrook CT
Apr 17 - Tunbridge Town Hall, Tunbridge VT
Apr 18 - Hooker Dunham Theatre, Brattleboro VT
Apr 24 - Split Level Concerts at the JCC, Scotch Plains NJ
peace,
mark
