Rounder Records has released a first single today from the upcoming Smoke & Ashes album by the Lonely Heartstring Band.
The Boston-based group approaches bluegrass with their own unique perspective. Like many young artists on the grassicana side of the market, they are using the form of the bluegrass ensemble to perform and record the music they write, with a decidedly pop-oriented sound more likely to resonate with other urban dwellers their age. The subject matter also tends to follow what their peer group is concerned with, using perhaps a more intellectual lens than is common in bluegrass.
This single is for Just A Dream, which lead singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter George Clements says came to him in an introspective mood.
“Just a Dream is a bit of an abstract song about questioning the limits of human perception. I guess it centers around some ideas that came about after a ten day retreat I did a couple years ago. It was a silent meditation retreat in the middle of the woods — I had a lot of time to think… maybe too much time.”
Along with Clements, Lonely Heartstring Band is his twin brother Charles on bass, Patrick M’Gonigle on fiddle, Maddie Witler on mandolin, and Gabe Hirshfeld on banjo. All play at an extremely high level, and together they offer a new and distinctive voice to acoustic string music.
Smoke & Ashes won’t release until February 2019, but you can get Just A Dream now from all the popular download and streaming sites.
