May 2010 Newsletter
Monday, April 26, 2010
Photo by Kris Delmhorst
SEVEN CURSES
Though it is not as commonplace as it used to be, occasionally an artist will find he has enough material to justify the release of two records in the same year. Think Dylan in '65 following "Bringing It All Back Home" with "Highway 61 Revisited." Or Guns N' Roses in '91 with "Use Your Illusion" I and II. Ok, so maybe don't think about Guns N' Roses. My point is, that it is sufficiently difficult and expensive to produce a finished record that one every couple of years is a more than respectable pace to keep. This is why I am so excited to announce the release of SEVEN CURSES, my second album for 2010, recorded with my friend Jeffrey Foucault.
Jeff and I met seven or eight years ago, and became fast friends once we realized we shared a rabid devotion to the music of Chris Smither ever since our our high school years in Wisconsin and Massachusetts. We toured together, guested on each others cds, battled fiercely in post-gig poker games and picked out Everly Brothers harmony versions of Smither tunes over whiskey in each others apartments. There was always a bit of that "brother-from-another-mother" quality about the way our voices combined, something greater than the sum of its parts.
We first got the idea to record together after covering a Tom Petty song for my lullaby record a few years ago, and we thought it might be fun to tackle an entire project using a similar approach. Just the two of us sitting knee to knee, picking up whatever instrument happened to be at hand, and playing and singing the songs down live into a few microphones in hopes of capturing this strange and fleeting chemistry on tape. Both Jeff and myself are anchored squarely in the troubadour tradition of songs with strong characters and vivid stories, so we gravitated toward a dark little backwater of American roots music that offers plenty of both to choose from---the murder ballad. Gunslingers, cheaters, drunks and other ne'er do-wells, characters that inhabit a world where everything hinges on a single irretrievable act, and a reckoning looms.
About as far from a lullaby as you can get.
We tackled iconic examples of the genre, like "Pretty Polly" (Trad.) or Guthrie's "Philadelphia Lawyer," but also incorporated material that pushed the boundaries a bit. Is the death penalty in Steve Earle's "Ellis Unit One" 'murder?' What do you call the callous indifference shown a prostitute in a downward spiral toward an inevitable end in Paul Seibel's "Louise?" Such questions don't necessarily have answers, but it was interesting to bring some outside choices into the project and see how they dovetailed with songs that explore a more conventional definition of murder (e.g. Bill Anderson's downright spine-tingling "The First Mrs. Jones").
SEVEN CURSES was recorded over the course of a few nights in the spring of 2008 (with minimal overdubs), and has been lurking about ever since like some notorious criminal on the lam. It has been our pet project for so long it feels good to finally bring everyone else in on the secret. You can pick up your copy of SEVEN CURSES one of our shows, at my site or Jeff's, and it will be available digitally through most major online music outlets by the month's end. We will team up for some New England Seven Curses dates in late July and have touring plans for the Netherlands and the UK in 2011.
LITTLE VIGILS REVIEWS: I don't like to put too much stock in reviews, but when people write things about my new record like "(LITTLE VIGILS) is a jewel of a recording" (Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange, "Could be Erelli's best yet" (Maverick Magazine) and "the disc is a veritable home run for an artist who seems to never disappoint" (Resident Media Pundit.com), then I get to thinking these folks might be on to something. Have you gotten your copy yet?
NEW VIDEO! This month you can catch the third episode of The Naptime Tapes, featuring an acoustic version of "Same For Someone." Check out this video and several others at my YouTube Channel, and consider subscribing to the channel so you'll be the first to know each time a new video is posted.
MP3 OF THE MONTH: Speaking of "Seven Curses," I thought I'd share a track from the sessions that didn't quite make the varsity team. It's a version of Townes Van Zandt's "Marie," featuring me on the guitar-banjo and Jeff on the electric slide guitar. It's available for the month of May on the downloads page. Enjoy!
SHOWS:
Sat May 1st - Gamble Rogers Folk Festival, St. Augustine FL - 3:30 pm (Arrivas Yard stage)
Good thing this festival isn't during hurricane season, because it's so packed with talent that one direct hit would take out a fair proportion of the modern folk world. Ralph Stanley, Loudon Wainwright III, Greg Brown, Patty Larkin, Catie Curtis, Ellis Paul and many more make it an honor to be on this bill. I used to come down to St. Augustine in the summertime to train for tennis competitions, but that was almost 20 years ago. This time around, I'll be singing my heart out but you won't catch me doing any sprints on the beach.
Thu May 6th - Trinity House Theatre, Livonia MI - 8 pm
My apologies to the rest of the Midwest, but this time out I'll only be in the fine state of Michigan. I've never played this theatre before but from the artist testimonials on the venue website, I expect to like it mighty fine.
Fri May 7th - Flint Folk Music Society, Flint MI - 7:30 pm
A little internet sleuthwork reveals that Joni Mitchell played for the group that became the Flint Folk Music Society when her career was just starting out. I think I'll have to start dusting off my barroom blues version of "Carey" for this show!
Sat May 8th - House Concert, Northville MI - 7:30 pm
House concerts offer an unparalleled degree of intimacy when it comes to seeing live music. No sound system or stage, just me and my guitar (and hopefully you) in a living room. Call (248) 348-5122 to reserve your seats today.
Fri May 14th - WAMC's Performing Arts Studio, The Linda, Albany NY - 8 pm
Last time I was here, I opened for Carrie Rodriguez. To be honest, I never imagined I'd get booked for my own Albany show in such a swanky, large performance space! Come on out for this one and show the promoters what good taste they have in booking new music.
Sat May 15th - Roxbury Arts Center, Roxbury NY - 7:30 pm
I have a real soft spot for folks who go the extra mile to bring top quality music to someplace that might be a tad off the beaten path (or the NY Thruway, as the case may be). I'm part of a killer lineup of musicians coming to Roxbury in the coming months, and I'm looking forward to making my debut here.
Fri May 21st - Finch Coffeehouse, Newburyport MA - 8 pm
A concert in a quaint little seaside town in late May, as the nights are beginning to get warm and you can smell the salt in the air...? Count me in! Oh wait, I have to be there because it's MY concert. You should come too!
Sat May 22nd - Full Moon Coffeehouse, Wendell MA - 7:30 pm
This show will be the concert-length debut of a new side project of mine, The Haymakers. The Haymakers are myself and Rani Arbo, two busy musicians (and parents of young children) trying to make some good music and have a little fun whenever we can rustle up a date when we are both available to make some joyful noise. We'll be doing originals, classic country gems and our own interpretations of obscure rootsy tunes. This show will be loose and fun and a great way to spend a Saturday night.
Fri May 28th - Holcomb Farm, Granby CT - 7:30 pm
I was in Granby at the end of last year for a benefit with a few other wonderful artists. It was a great night with a very appreciative audience who only got to hear me do a handful of tunes. I'm psyched I get to come back on my own and give you as many songs as you want.
Mon May 31st - Warwick Valley Winery, Warwick NY - 2 pm
To finish off the month, I'm headed to a winery to play at a Bob Dylan Festival, and it's not every day I can write something like that. I will be doing a mix of my own songs and Dylan's and hopefully the difference between the two isn't too painfully obvious.
SIDEMAN SECTION:
Nothing officially on the books this month, but you never know where I'll pop up unannounced.
ON THE HORIZON:
June 5 - Atwoods Tavern, Cambridge MA (full band show!)
July 19 - Cambridge MA (**Seven Curses w/Jeffrey Foucault)
July 24 - Pomfret CT**
July 25 - Keene NH**
July 28 - Whately MA**
July 29 - Great Barrington MA**
July 30 - Ogunquit ME**
peace,
mark
