Wednesday, February 15, 2012

James Low Western Front to tour in support of new album

The James Low Western Front's new LP, "Whiskey Farmer", is out on Union Made Records next Tuesday, 2/21.


THE JAMES LOW WESTERN FRONT TOUR DATES:

02.17.12 San Francisco, CA @ Viracocha*
02.18.12 Big Sur, CA @ Fernwood Resort*
02.23.12 Seattle, WA @ Columbia City Theater*
02.29.12 Nampa, ID @ Flying M Coffee Garage^
03.01.12 Provo, UT @ Velour Live^
03.02.12 Denver, CO @ The Walnut Room^
03.03.12 Colorado Springs, CO @ Fuel Friends House Show^
03.05.12 Las Vegas @ House Show^
03.06.12 Los Angeles, CA @ Silverlake Lounge^
03.14.12 Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios*
*with band
^jennie + peter duo


MORE ABOUT THE JAMES LOW WESTERN FRONT:

Some people are simply blessed with names that fit almost too perfectly with their chosen professions. Usually this happens with sports players and newscasters, but every so often you'll come across the name of a musician and instantly know what kind of sound you're likely to hear.
Singer/guitarist James Low has such a name. It rolls right off the tongue and evokes the sound of dusty country/folk/pop played with delicious and deliberate ease over a few cold bottles of beer and the occasional hot shot of whiskey.

And wouldn't you know it, The James Low Western Front’s new full-length, Whiskey Farmer, expertly and effortlessly delivers just that. The band may come from the lush climes of Portland, Oregon, but theirs is a sound that was born in towns like Nashville, Tennessee and Bakersfield, California. It shuffles, grooves, and sweats with the best of them, begging to be played through the in dash stereo of a pickup truck.

It's with that mood and setting in mind that Low wrote and the band (Tim Huggins, bass/vocals; Dave Camp, guitar/vocals; Joe Mengis, drums) arranged the album’s tracks.

The eight-song collection focuses on the plight of the titular character (portrayed on the front cover of the album by Low himself), someone that has, according to Low, "always done things kind of right- did OK in school, went to a generic college, racked up a shitload of debt, and got a job to pay off the debt. He drinks to forget. He alienates the ones who love him best, and just cannot believe that this is all there is to life."

The band captures and paints, in broad and specific strokes, the lovelorn, embittered, and beaten-down state with a perfectly lived-in sound that would be the envy of any alt country up-and-comers. Low captures the desperation of not only The Whiskey Farmer's life, but also the life of anyone who has ever strained for a better existence via lyrics that are rich with detail and poignancy.

Low will be adding even more depth to the story of the Whiskey Farmer as he plans to spend 2012 making videos for each song on this new album. "Each video will present a chapter in the arc of the Whiskey Farmer, from recognizing and rejecting the futility of his way of life, to escape, remission, and penance,” Low explains.

It's a tantalizing thought to be sure, but even without the visual aids, The James Low Western Front have provided a fine sketch of a life roughly lived but given to moments of peace and clarity. And they're telling the tale in the warm glow of a jukebox and the rich tang of an adult beverage. Order one for yourself, grab a barstool, and drink it all in.

No comments: