The beautiful locale and luxurious accommodations at the Dreams Tulum brings the energy of the new American bluegrass story to new heights for Strings & Sol 2012. Located on the pristine beaches of Tulum, approximately 75 minutes south of Cancun in the Mayan Riviera – and 5 minutes from the ancient ruins – Dreams Tulum is a first-class, all-inclusive resort that boasts spacious suites, an incredible on-site spa, gourmet restaurants, beachfront palapas, and of course, stunning ocean views. Strings & Sol offers music fans a genuine luxury vacation featuring days relaxing on the beach with friends and nights listening to their favorite bands perform in paradise.

The all-inclusive luxury lodging packages for Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa is available to just under 1000 lucky fans. A limited number of 4-Day Event Passes (w/o Dreams Tulum lodging) will also be available. These 4-Day Event Passes provide all-inclusive access to Dreams for the event, but allows for a limited number of fans looking for a more “off-the-beaten-path” paradise experience to make their own lodging accommodations in Tulum’s Hotel Zone.

Event details are as follows:

Rooms & 4 Day Event Passes go on sale to the general public beginning May 23rd at 12pm EDT at www.stringsandsol.com

Less than 400 rooms total at Dreams Tulum will be available for sale to the general public where the concerts take place. Pricing for the all-inclusive resort starts at $1049 per person for triple occupancy rooms, and $1199 for double occupancy rooms, with Oceanview rooms starting at $1499 per person. A limited number of rooms are available for families who wish to bring their children, with a complete Kid’s program offered by the resort. 4-Day Event Passes are $995 per person and include access to the concerts and the all-inclusive amenities at Dreams between the hours of 9am-4am.

Look for announcements to come including artist hosted activities and more!

For fans who wish to extend their stay, Cloud 9 Adventures is offering a special discounted rate for the nights before and after the event. Guests can add an additional three nights to their stay before the event and one night after the event for $199.00 a night per person.* These rates are available for December 9, 10, 11 & 16, 2012. For more information and to book a room, please visit www.stringsandsol.com.

*Pre / Post nights for the Presidential suites are subject to different rates and must be booked with Cloud 9 over the phone, based on availability.

Strings & Sol is presented by Cloud 9 Adventures www.cloud9adventures.com

Honest Tune spoke with Dave Brogan (drums/vocals) and Steve  Adams (bass/vocals) individually on a cool Monday night about their latest album, Sounds Like This. Dave was in New Orleans between gigs enjoying Jazzfest and Steve was in San Francisco, taking a break from their schedule with some rest and relaxation with family and friends.

Speaking with Steve and Dave individually provided insight on how close they are and how they communicate in the studio. Their answers to the same questions were similar but had unique syntax. Like jazz musicians communicating through the trumpet and the snare, Steve was more talkative, filling any pause in the conversation with thoughts about the album or anecdotes about the band; Dave was straight forward, yet cautious in what he divulged. The dual conversations provided a glimpse into a band’s communication process – how  different voices add to the artistic process.

HT:  The press release indicates that this recording process was very different from before, in that it was a collective process. Did you all write and arrange in an overlapping process? Why was it different than before?

Steve:  Part of it yes…. We have been slowly creeping towards this [new] process. [Before] we may have written part of it at home; we always arranged together and then picked it apart to make it “ALO.” But this album was more free jamming and recording in the moment…so this album, more than any, is a collaboration. We have been trying to get to that more and more each time.

The biggest difference was that we had the live show in mind on this album, but the last few were more introspective and more studio produced. We wanted to capture our live shows well. [For inspiration] we kept picking up pictures of the fans and holding it up, reminding us who we were making the record for.

Another difference on this the record was that we recorded in San Francisco. The last one was in Hawaii, so I was only able to bring my electric bass, but I couldn’t bring the little things from home. There were three check-ins to get to Hawaii, so we couldn’t ship a whole lot and used whatever Jack [Johnson] had in his studio.

This time we were a couple blocks from Dave’s house, so we were in such close range we could fill up the car. I think this made the sound on the album broader.

Dave:  We were trying to capture the essence of the live band on the record. In the past, there are people that knew us from the live shows and people that knew us from a record. But we are a very reactive band, and we react in the environment, which affects the set list and the way we play live, [while] in the studio it’s more introspective music. The shows are more of a party, and in the new album there was intent to get the live vibe, ‘now lets picture it with the live sold-out Filmore shows.”

HT:  What was it like to record at Mission Bell?

Steve:  Lots of records have been made there lately. It was so cool! The studio had cement walls and I think it was an old bank. The studio was upstairs, and [was located] in the Mission [neighborhood in San Francisco].

Dave:  It was great! We were around good friends [who own the recording studio], and we actually used the same tape machine that Phil Lesh and The Grateful Dead used on In the Dark. The history of it was kind of inspiring in its own right. We used some modern techniques, so sometimes we would record on tape, but then maybe add something later by computer.

HT:  Was there any moment or note that sticks out in your mind, that inspired you or was an “aha” moment?

Steve:  For me, there was one jam that we came up with on the spot, and it turned into a song, “Falling Dominoes,” and Zach helped me write the lyrics. I had song writing sessions, which was something I had never done before. Zach is the most prolific writer in the band, and he encouraged me and gave me exercises for writing lyrics. It was kind of uncomfortable but kind of exciting for me.

Another that I remember was when Zach kept pursuing an alternate ending to a song, “Blew out the Walls.” Zach had an alternate way of playing it, and we had to choose one way or the other, so we recorded both. [The alternative version is available on Itunes only] It was a cool, standout track and the alternate version kind of reminded me of Talking Heads. It was a transient jam. Because we had been playing for a half hour, we were playing different [musical] interests, and then Dan showed up. Then we went back to the original and played for a half hour again, and then they reeled it in and made it into a song. It was definitely stand out moment for me.

Dave:  The first thing that pops in my mind was “Falling Dominoes.” I loved the way it got created. This was so cool, literally, we were using the tape to record for about a half hour, and then rewind it, then we just started playing few chords and suddenly the song appeared. The tape finished, and the music just came out of thin air. The song was capturing the band. It happened from such a pure space. There are so many cool moments when you record an album.

It was a pretty intense moment and we uncovered a cool piece of music. There is good composition on this album. Nobody brought in their own music, and a lot of the versions that are on the album were recorded before there were lyrics to the song. That discovery is captured on the album. One of the cool things was hearing the songs develop on the tape.

HT:  Do you struggle with the internal pull between making money and keeping true to your integrity and authenticity as a musician?

Steve:  There is definitely a universal struggle of trying to make money. There is the infrastructure that could sell a song, and then on the other hand we are aware of the opportunity we have.

The first record was written for ourselves, with no label in mind. The two records after that, we felt a little pressure so we had to record something we could sell. This record, the conversation came up a lot, and we thought, let’s just forget about it, make the record we want to make for our fans and not over-edit it. Not over think it.

It’s a conversation we have a lot and it’s difficult. It’s a challenge, it’s a balancing act while we are trying to be proud of the music. This album is more whimsical and we let our own voice be what it is. It actually took the pressure off.

Dave:  The one thing with ALO is that it is not in our nature to focus on the business side. On the other albums we spent more time trimming things down, and we purposefully did not do that on this album. Sure, the trimming down bogs you down. It’s always the roughest thing.

We wanted to keep the live spirit. We were not setting out to make longer songs, and we didn’t want to fit the songs in the box. And we have a record label that allows us to create albums we want to. We are not trying to sell records based on the album cover, with a cookie-cutter image.

HT:  Full disclosure, I have had “Reviews (From Here to Zed)” on repeat for the past 2 days. Can you tell me about the song?

Steve:  That one was a composition groove vibe. Zach had words from another song, and the song gravitated through them and then fell into place in a cool way.

We all feel that there is always change, and with art, and sure, the reason you release it is for a little bit of validation. There are people who love us for what we do, and there are people that want us to do something they want us to do. But we wanted to have humor with it.

We did a lot more takes on the song and then we went back to an earlier one. We were throwing things to the wall and culling through things. We realized that the earlier recording was the best. Which goes back to the point of the album: to record what was part of our live shows.

Dave:  We did a bunch of takes, but the first take was the best one, the energy was so good on the first. An inspired recording is way better than precision.

HT:  You just played at Tulane University for the Crawfest [on April 21.] How did it feel to be playing in New Orleans, home to such a rich history of music?

Steve:  It was awesome! We have never played there before, but we have played Jazz Fest before. Last year was our first trip back to New Orleans in four years.

At one point Zach was talking to the crowd, and I felt like we were these California ambassadors, relating to college students, bridging the gap between USCB and Tulane. I can still relate to them because they were excited about the music, like when we played at Santa Barbara.

Dave:  Tulane was great! It was a full day of music. It was fun because we did a shoot for an ALO video for “Sweetest Dreams,” and then the show kicked off the Jazzfest.

HT:  That being said, how pumped are you to be playing at First Annual Nolafunk Jazzfest Series? [At the Republic April 27th first weekend of Jazzfest with Anders Osborne, members of the Grateful Dead & Little Feat, plus Marco Benevento]

Steve: Dave stayed in New Orleans for the whole week; good to go home, Zach and Dan flew back for their family. So much of the music that we love comes from there…Dr. John, old Jazz, Cajun music, and you go there, music all day all night for two weeks. Threaded into their cultures, live music.

Dave:  I’ve been here the whole week. I am intrigued by regional music. It is interesting these days that the lines are so blurred because everyone has access to so much music. You can see different combinations [online], but I like to find the guys that are doing the sound of the region, a pure form of the region’s music, and every region still has that, and as we travel I seek that out.

HT:  Dave, back in a 2008 interview [with HT&E] you said that you’d like to work with Amos Lee. Has that happened?

Dave:  It hasn’t happened yet! I had just gotten the new album and I love his music but we have never even met. I would stand by that! I caught him last year at Jazz Fest on my day off, and he was doing a set with the expanded band that he has now, and the band was such a bonus.

Sounds Like This was released May 8, 2012 on Brushfire Records.

Three records and a few personnel changes after the band’s debut in 2006, the aptly named Great American Taxi remains a vehicle that allows some of the best roots musicians in America to cruise in musical style. Led by Leftover Salmon front man, Vince Herman and keyboardist Chad Staehly, the group continues to consistently churn out music on Paradise Lost that recalls the glory days of twangy folk rock a la Gram Parsons and Little Feat, with a solid bluegrass and boogie-woogie backbone.

From the Dylan-inflected harmonica and mellow alt-ish country of “A.M. Radio” to the roadhouse swagger of “Angel Dust” and the offbeat “Swamp Song” – which recounts the demise of a craggy old backwoods wrangler – the Taxi boys are assisted by the amply talented likes of guest musicians Tim O’Brien, Todd Snider (who also produces here), Barry Sless and Elizabeth Cook. The varied moods, tones and grooves on Paradise Lost add up to one big Americana win.

Paradise Lost is out now on GAT Records.

Through hard work, grit and hundreds of thousands of miles on the road, not to mention unrelenting talent from every corner, UM have grown exponentially in regards all aspects of what they do — from ticket sales and fan base to publicists & production value in each and every aspect of their live show. In so doing, they have somehow managed to not lose touch with one of the things that brought them to their place of present stature… their engagement with fans. (or UMphreaks)

If there are two things that almost never go together in the music world, they are success and fan intimacy. That is unless one is referring to the Chicagoan sextet that is chock full of rock star tinges in sound and stage presence, but completely genuine in regard to their decision to factor  fan perception and integration into seemingly every decision that they make. It is this that has placed them into a category that one would be hard pressed to find a competitor. In other words, by managing to pull off simultaneous exponential growth and maintenance of a friendly fan experience, Umphrey’s McGee has seemingly accomplished the impossible.

On a late April night, Umphrey’s gave the perfect example of this when the progressive improvisational rock star sextet hosted their third annual UMBowl. The concept is as unique as the name: divide a show up into four quarters (or sets) that promote fan participation throughout the entire affair.

From UMlive.com…

Quarter 1: Comprised of attendees’ votes

Setlist: Flamethrower, Night Nurse, Voyager, Front Porch, Comma Later, Help On The Way / Slipknot!, 46 & 2

Quarter 2: A Stew Art Event, this one of kind Umphrey’s innovation, returns to the UMBowl yet again for the 2nd quarter. The band will play a full set of improvisation based exclusively on themes, ideas, scenes, and concepts presented by fans.

Setlist: Afternoon Nurse,  Funk Our Face Off, Middle Eastern Metal, Drum N Bass, Soaring Uplifting Jam Part 2, Afternoon Bus Ride in Jamaica, Increasing Tempo Jam, Yacht Rock Jam, Hip Hop Tribute, Take Us to the Disco Tech

Quarter 3: Third quarter was in “choose your own adventure” style, with attendees voting for the next “adventure” live.

Setlist: All In Time, Glory, The Linear, August, Bridgeless, Mantis, Making Flippy Floppy, Nothing Too Fancy

Quarter 4: Fourth quarter was Raw Stewage, comprised of attendees’ votes for past “Jimmy Stewarts”

Setlist: Liberty, Echo, White Pickle, Den, Theresa, 9:30, REW, Lift & Separate, Dream Team, In The Kitchen

Encore: Divisions

Download the official soundboard recording of this show HERE.

 Click the photo above to purchase a print

Sounds simple, right? Say that if you were the man behind the guitar, congos, drums, bass or even better, the mic.

Fortunately for those of us who were up to something much more awesome than witnessing some of the rawest and purest improvisation conceivable (keep kidding yourself), Chad Smith, the man behind the cover of of UM’s latest album and Honest Tune Senior Contributor, was on the scene at Park West to bring back images that even he admits don’t provide adequate representation to the majesty that unfolded on that night in Chi-Town. That is quite the mouthful when considering just how amazing these images are.

Click the thumbnail(s) to view photos from UMBowl III by Chad Smith…

Luther Dickinson is a busy man. But between his full-time gig with the North Mississippi Allstars, his on-hiatus role with the Black Crowes and recent collaborations with The Wandering and the South Memphis String Band, he still finds time to dig up sounds from his native north Mississippi soil. The most recent fruits sown from that soil consist of his first-ever all instrumental solo album, Hambone’s Meditations

Following in the footsteps of his acoustic heroes John Fahey and, more recently, Jack Rose, Dickinson draws heavily on country blues, but also experiments with more elaborate and varied composition styles that provide a broader depth than the typical acoustic blues record. On “Breckenbridge Blues” for instance, a bouncing bass line propels a mesmerizing melody until an atonal foray heightens the tension before returning to the main theme. “Tallahatchie (Birds of The Moon)” employs ragtime rhythms while the album’s opener (and highlight) “Blind Lemon and the Hookman” is an intricate, multi-part opus.  Much of the work on Hambone’s Meditations owes as much to W.C. Handy as R.L. Burnside.  All six tracks feature only Dickinson’s guitar or dobro, save for the sounds of chirping birds on one of the two “ Old Gospel Medley” tracks that close the album

Dickinson’s output has always been the result of his constant quest to mine musical annals, and so it’s fitting that this collection of mostly pre-World War II type songs shares it’s name with a comic strip that ran in syndication after starting in the Memphis Commercial Appeal in the early 20^th Century.

Dickinson the guitarist, the composer and the student are all on display on this accomplished recording. Within the nooks and crannies of the compositions here, there is great heart in this loving tribute to the many fellow maestros who have come before him. If Dickinson is so busy, it’s because he has so much still to learn and impart.

Hambone’s Meditations is out now on Songs of the South Records.

While a lot of North Mississippi Allstars fans are going to flock towards Go On Now, You Can’t Stay Here – the debut album from the Luther Dickinson-led The Wandering – those looking for searing slide guitar and that mesmerizing Hill Country Blues sound, they’re in for a shock.

With the The Wandering, Dickinson has gathered four mid-South female musicians (Amy Lavere – bass; Valerie June – banjo; Shannon McNally – guitar/vocals; Sharde Thomas – drums/fife) and extracted elements from each members’ backgrounds, blended seamlessly into a refined product

There are elements of all traditional folk music here, from the country-eque “Old Joe Clark” and “The Outlaw” to the bluesy “Love, Life and Money.” “Glory, Glory” kicks off with Thomas’s fife, and her whip-sharp notes would make her granddad Othar Turner proud.

Vocally, the group is a powerhouse – their individual tones blend beautifully when harmonizing, yet each can carry the tune alone. That’s where the album truly shines – the vocals.

There will be a lot of familiar tunes here for the Luther Dickinson fans, but hopefully they look past that and see  Go On Now, You Can’t Stay Here for its true success. This album puts some of the most unheralded and beautiful female voices of contemporary music on display.

Go On Now, You Can’t Stay Here is out now on Songs of the South Records

May 11th, 2012 (Louisville, KY) — GrooveStreet.TV is proud to announce its official launch by spending Saturday evening with The Infamous Stringdusters, Sons of Bill and Sarah White & The Pearls.

On Saturday, 5/12/12, The Infamous Stringdusters will headline a celebration of Blue Ridge Mountain Sports‘ 40th Anniversary with a performance at Charlottesville, VA’s nTelos Pavilion — with proceeds going to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge.

For those who cannot be at the event in person, GrooveStreet.TV plans to bring fans as close to the action as possible — with a 5 camera high definition broadcast of the entire evening and exclusive content from the weekend and from its vast archives during the intermission periods between sets. For a schedule of the evening, log on to http://groovestreet.tv/live/

Prepared to spend a few dollars to watch the show? Well, Put your wallets away because GrooveStreet is taking care of the tab and will be broadcasting LIVE to a computer screen near you for the grand total of zero dollars charged to fans who join the party.

In coordination, The Infamous Stringdusters and GrooveStreet.TV partner, Honest Tune Magazine, will offer prizes through their respective Facebook and Twitter Accounts.

In conjunction with the event, The Stringdusters, Sons of Bill and Sarah White & The Pearls are offering The Virginia Sampler. The Virginia Sampler features 3 free songs – “The Hitchhiker” by The Infamous Stringdusters, “Virginia Calling” by Sons of Bill, and “Longing for Old Virginia” a Carter Family song covered by Sarah White and Ted Pitney. You can download and share the sampler here.

Further, a Blue Ridge Mountain Sports playlist has been put together for your streaming pleasure and features songs from The Infamous Stringdusters, Sons of Bill, and Sarah White. You can listen to the playlist here.

Finally, during the show, The Stringdusters will announce the lineup for the fourth installment of their annual festival, The Festy Experience.

Who: The Infamous Stringdusters, Sons of Bill and Sarah White & The Pearls

What: The Blue Ridge Mountain Sports 40th Anniversary

Where: http://groovestreet.tv/live/

When: 6:30-10:45 PM EST

Share: HD or 3-D Promo Video filmed, directed and produced by David Shehi http://youtu.be/aWJMkbxWLFU?hd=1 (See Below)

Prizes: Follow along live during the simulcast on The Stringdusters’ Facebook or Twitter (@stringdusters)  or Honest Tune Magazine’s Facebook or Twitter (@honesttunemag). Prizes set to include autographed setlists, items from Kleen Kanteen, a signed 2011 Festy poster, merch packages and more.

About GrooveStreet.TV:

GrooveStreet, LLC owns and operates www.GrooveStreet.tv, an entertainment network.  GrooveStreet.tv provides its audience with original, professionally produced video interviews and performances of artists and bands through the music spectrum.  GrooveStreet.tv also provides live simulcasts of music festivals and concerts of artists and bands.  Through its U Groove page, the GrooveStreet website allows artists and bands of all levels to upload their own interviews and performances to gain more access to fans. Through its Groove Shack page, Groovestreet.tv offers festival goers and music fans original and authentic merchandise.

GrooveStreet has also entered into a collaborative agreement with long standing pillars in the music journalism field, Honest Tune. In the agreement, the two will team up to combine the video, simulcasting and technological capabilities of GrooveStreet with the professional journalism qualifications and long known musical expertise of Honest Tune.

5/12/12: LIVE in HD, the Blue Ridge Mountain Sports Experience

ft. The Infamous Stringdusters, Sons of Bill and Sarah White

Bob Weir
NYCB Theatre
Westbury, NY
April 28, 2012

Bob Weir’s solo dates have been the subject of significant cancellations over the past year, the Grateful Dead founding member was all Bobby when making a stop at Westbury’s NYCB Theatre.

Breaking away from the dazzling lights, effect pedals and the like, it was Weir stripped down– rare and well received.

Setlist

I: Truckin > Spoonful > Truckin, My Brother Esau, Dark Hollow, Me and My Uncle > She Belongs to Me, Looks Like Rain > Easy to Slip

II: Corrina, Loose Lucy > He’s Gone > Ashes and Glass > A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall, Weather Report Suite Prelude/Part I > Let It Grow

Encore: One More Saturday Night, Ripple

Click HERE to download an audience recording of this show.

Click the thumbnail(s) to view photos from the show by Vernon Webb…

Follow Vernon’s photo journey on Facebook

The Spectacular Spinning Songbook made its first appearance in 1986 at the Beverly Theatre in Los Angeles during the “Costello Sings Again Tour.” Last year, Elvis Costello and the Imposters set out on The Revolver Tour and, for the first time in 25 years, Costello once again allowed his set-list to be chosen via The Spectacular Spinning Songbook, featuring songs from his latest critically acclaimed release National Ransom, plus new renditions of hits, rarities and unexpected covers. Expanded from its initial short run in the spring to encompass summer and fall dates, the tour was greeted by popular acclaim across the country, with Rolling Stone reporting, “Costello worked the stage like a burlesque-club emcee, cracking wise at a mile a minute and spinning a dandy’s walking stick.”

Elvis Costello & The Spinning Songbook is available for $9.99 (SRP). This one hour TV special was filmed at Los Angeles’ Wiltern Theater. The program is distributed to cable by iN DEMAND L.L.C. “Elvis Costello & The Spinning Songbook is produced by Christian Macklam and Aron Levine in association with Sea to Sky Studios and ReKon Productions.

Consumers can locate and order the special from their cable system’s PPV Event or VOD channels or find current play-dates and PPV channels by going to: http://www.indemand.com/product/view/287566, or cable system on-screen guides. SD telecasts can be found on iN DEMAND 1 or 3. The HD version is on HDPPV.

Elvis Costello & The Spinning Songbook – Below are selected airdates and times on various PPV channels including iNDEMAND1, iNDEMAND3 and HD PPV. The VOD offer will be available at all times On Demand starting on May 24. PPV airings are in May and June, 2012.

**Schedule Highlights – all times Eastern Daylight Time:

Video On Demand** May 24-June 24

Other airdates SD and HD:

HDPPV Thursday, May 17, 2012 10:00PM

iN3 Sunday, May 20, 2012 2:00PM

HDPPV Friday, May 25, 2012 5:00PM

iN3 Saturday, May 26, 2012 2:00PM

iN3 Saturday, June 2, 2012 3:00PM

HDPPV Saturday, June 2, 2012 8:00PM

HDPPV Sunday, June 3, 2012 4:00PM

iN3 Sunday, June 3, 2012 6:00PM

iN3 Tuesday, June 5, 2012 8:00PM

iN1 Wednesday, June 6, 2012 6:00PM

HDPPV Friday, June 8, 2012 9:00PM

iN1 Saturday, June 9, 2012 6:00PM

iN3 Monday, June 11, 2012 7:00PM

iN3 Friday, June 15, 2012 6:00PM

HDPPV Friday, June 15, 2012 7:00PM

HDPPV Friday, June 15, 2012 1:00AM

HDPPV Saturday, June 16, 2012 5:00PM

HDPPV Sunday, June 17, 2012 2:00PM

HDPPV Friday, June 22, 2012 8:00PM

iN3 Saturday, June 23, 2012 6:00PM

HDPPV Saturday, June 23, 2012 7:00PM

HDPPV Friday, June 29, 2012 8:00PM

iN3 Saturday, June 30, 2012 3:00PM

And therein lies the beautiful dichotomy of Family Band. A collaboration between visual-artist-turned-singer Kim Krans and her husband, onetime heavy-metal guitarist Jonny Ollsin (Children, S.T.R.E.E.T.S.), the merging of the couple’s sensibilities makes for music that’s simultaneously elegant and visceral. Their songs are as stark as bare trees in winter, Krans’ baleful alto swooping mournfully over Ollsin’s glimmering guitar like a black crow against a grey sky. As its title implies Grace & Lies is equal parts light and shadow, evoking the mystery and terror of early Cat Power, the ghostly aura of Warpaint, with whom Family Band toured in 2011, and the hushed longing of prime-era Cowboy Junkies. Though they explored similar territory – both sonically and lyrically – on their self-released debut, Miller Path, on Grace their canvas is wider — the greys lusher, the blacks deeper. Assisted by bass and lapsteel player Scott Hirsch (Hiss Golden Messenger), with production and instrumental work by Dan Rossen of Grizzly Bear on “Again,” the couple has made a record that boldly confronts life’s darker questions. It’s a document of a band staring down life’s larger riddles – love, death, loss and deceit. But for all its lyrical intensity, there is a current of beauty and hope beneath its fragile, delicate songs.

Despite its dark subject matter, Grace is the product of a band coming comfortably into their own. And while Grace & Lies is not afraid to disappear into shadow, in the end, it’s about understanding and growth. “In the end,” Krans says, “This record is about learning to rewrite your own myth.”

As well as playing music, Kim and Jonny run The Wild Unknown, a celebrated company featuring Kim’s artwork, illustrations, and beyond. The couple spends a great amount of time at their handbuilt Miller Path cabin, just outside of Delhi, New York. Following last summer’s forest party (which you can read about via The FADER), the band is making plans for this summer’s celebration.

DOWNLOAD/LISTEN TO/SHARE FAMILY BAND’S “NIGHT SONG”:

http://pitchperfectpr.com/mp3/FamilyBand_NightSong.mp3

WATCH FAMILY BAND’S “SHAKING THROUGH” SESSION:

http://www.shakingthrough.com/familyband