Song Premiere: Evie Ladin Band, “News Cyclone”
Song Premiere: Artists In Their Own Words
Artist: Evie Ladin Band
Homebase: Oakland, California
Upcoming release: Caught On A Wire (out March 21)
Song: “News Cyclone”
About Caught On A Wire:
“Caught On A Wire is the fourth release from the Evie Ladin Band since I broke away from San Francisco’s heralded all-female, old-time teardown the Stairwell Sisters nearly a decade ago. Twelve brand new original songs (plus one important old hymn – all of our records have 13 tracks) took shape in the Fall 2018, and unlike our previous release Jump the Fire – where we played exactly as the trio we are – here we allowed arrangements in the studio to support the fullest expression these new songs demanded. As I wrote through the season on clawhammer banjo and guitar (laying in my first guitar leads), I brought raw material to bandmates Erik Pearson, exploring chordal arrangements, and Keith Terry, who enjoyed crafting both bass and drum parts. Both deeply rooted and musically adventurous, the three of us together create interlocking instrumental parts, in close conversation crafting a sound that evokes the emotion in the lyrics. Caught On A Wire explores contradiction – within relationships to ourselves and others, to where we live, to the world we are living in. Unfortunately these days are not for celebrating unfettered joy, but complex times where music again serves it’s wider purpose of illuminating the world we see and one we wish to create; singing about conflict to sing it through to resolution. Still, we have to find the joy in one another along the way, and keep dancing till we reach the other side. As frustrated as I can get at the state of our nation, I have faith in the basic goodness and solvency of regular people.”
About “News Cyclone”:
“In the build up to midterm elections, the rancor in political debate was inciting a rash of hate crimes across the country. With one mass shooting after another, the news cycle became a “news cyclone” of words, repetitive, redundant, always asking “what was his motive?” unable to contain our sadness. I was incensed at the focus on motive of people so disconnected and disaffected by a government that doesn’t prioritize basic community or individual health, that they would take up the guns they hold dear to their freedom, and rob others of their lives. Safe spaces becoming so very unsafe. Driving banjo can be as incessant as this stream of words, interlocking with guitar and bass, building tension in half-time drums, to the foley of a storm forming and hopefully, releasing.”
“At this same time, fires were raging across California, with so many losing lives and homes, and these same campaigning politicians were denying the changing climate. The air was difficult to breathe, and everyone was praying for the rain that was late in arriving to the season. Rather than this radio “verbal hurricane,” asking all the wrong questions in the face of real suffering, we so needed to hear the rain. Let me hear the rain. The skies are so dark.”
Caught On A Wire is available for pre-order now – HERE!
