This is a bittersweet post for me to write, and here’s why: two of the Radical Folksonomy’s founding members, keyboardist Erika Oba and singer Jay Thompson, are departing from the group in April. I cannot describe the immense gratitude I feel towards both of them for having been a huge part of my musical vision for the past year and a half. Not only did their talents add a great deal to my songs, but I think their presence elevated my own musicianship and helped me to build more confidence as a performer. Thank you, Erika and Jay.
The ‘sweet’ part of the post starts here. First of all, the Radical Folksonomy will definitely continue, perhaps as a rock and roll four-piece, perhaps adding someone new to fill the sound out. I think we’ll see what seems right when that time actually comes. Meanwhile, the current group just spent this last President’s Day weekend recording…A NEW FULL-LENGTH ALBUM!!! I know, you already knew that from the post title, but I’m excited about it fer chrissakes! Way I figured, we had all these songs in our current repertoire that aren’t on the EP, and I wanted to make sure we captured the ladies’ contributions to them. Here is the track listing for the album (in no particular order just yet):
- Red Balloon
- You’re A Fox
- Wikipedia Brown
- If My Love
- Holy Rock & Roll
- Sunken Treasure
- This Heart Is Not A Home
- Nothing, I Just Love You Is All
- No Second Thoughts (Tom Petty cover)
Here is the best way I can describe my excitement: our EP The Once & Future Boyfriend was my baby, and I love it. And I did not expect to get pregnant again so soon, but life doesn’t always give you warning. So now there’s another baby on the way and I can’t wait! And it’s a full-length baby, a nine-song, forty-some-odd-minutes long baby, not like my first baby, who was only six-songs and twenty-five minutes, but whom I love very much anyway.
So yeah, we’re almost done with all the tracking, and it sounds incredible. I would say it’s somewhat more eclectic than Boyfriend; it goes harder towards the rock side of things with fully electric songs like “Holy Rock & Roll” and “Sunken Treasure”, but it’s also got more quiet folksy stuff, like “If My Love”, “Red Balloon” and “This Heart Is Not A Home”. I play electric guitar on four songs, which was really fun, and even do a little soloing in there! Mind you, I’m no Guy Brown, but I can pick a lick or two.
So when does it drop? April 9, my friends, April 9! At the Hotel Utah once again! No better place to release a disc. Still working on putting the whole lineup together, but you better believe it’s gonna kill! Mark your calendars! Saturday, April 9!
Alright lovelies, off to bed with me.
