Driftwood Navigates Newfound Parenthood On Tender Single 'Up All Night Blues'
Their new album will be released on March 22.
By: Michael Major Feb. 22, 2024
Driftwood has shared their new single “Up All Night Blues,” the next offering from the band's forthcoming album December Last Call, out March 22. Hailed as a “3 a.m. anthem to change” by Americana UK, the tender new song finds the Upstate New York-based Americana outfit meditating on the ups and downs of newfound parenthood.
“‘Up All Night Blues' is a reflection on becoming a mother and looking back at one's life before babies. It's about going through a period of great change,” says vocalist and violinist Claire Byrne. “It's 3 a.m. and my new baby is up yet again … this is my reality. It's beautiful and torturous all at the same time. I close my eyes and remember my former late-night self. I think about the people that would've been there with me and the music that would've surrounded us. All of that is seemingly gone and I am mourning the loss. This song is a testament to the strange, tangled and wondrous journey that is new parenthood. I think most folks will find the song relatable in some way, though. Who hasn't had a wistful thought of the past while living the sometimes harsh reality of the present?”
“Up All Night Blues” follows the “catchy, uncomplicated gem” (Magnet Magazine) “Every Which Way But Loose” and rowdy album title track “December Last Call,” which garnered praise last fall including Holler, the Americana Music Association and Glide Magazine who noted, “This is the kind of big-hearted roots rocker that is meant to be cranked up.”
Self-produced and recorded in the basement studio of guitarist Joe Kollar's family home, December Last Call is a full-circle moment for a band who grew up making music together in that very same space. The new album reflects on their recent past, musing on the ways the group grew up – together and apart – through curveballs like new parenthood and pandemic shutdowns. But sonically, December Last Call looks confidently to the future, experimenting with new sounds like hard-rocking guitars and driving percussion, all while staying true to the bluegrass roots that built them.
One of Driftwood's biggest differentiators is the sheer breadth of talent in its lineup, with Byrne, Kollar and guitarist Dan Forsyth contributing as songwriters and vocalists. This creative push-pull, where each selects songs to share with the group and record together, bakes vulnerability and collaborative spirit into every recording on December Last Call.
The band's upcoming sixth album marks their return following 2019's Tree of Shade, which received widespread acclaim from No Depression, PopMatters and others upon its release.
Driftwood is currently on tour in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., and more cities throughout the spring – a full list of dates can be found below or at driftwoodtheband.com/tour.
The group is made up of Dan Forsyth (guitar/vocals), Joe Kollar (guitar/vocals), Claire Byrne (violin/vocals), Joey Arcuri (bass/vocals) and Sam Fishman (drums).
2024 Tour Dates
February 24 - Walton, NY - Walton Theatre
March 1 - Woodstock, NY - Levon Helm Studios
March 2 - New York, NY - Hill Country Live
March 8 - Syracuse, NY - Funk ‘n Waffles
March 9 - Syracuse, NY - Funk ‘n Waffles
March 21 - Raleigh, NC - Kings
March 22 - Greensboro, NC - Flat Iron
March 23 - Charlotte, NC - The Evening Muse
April 3 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground
April 4 - Boston, MA - City Winery Boston
April 5 - Portland, ME - Portland House Of Music and Events (HOME)
April 19 - Buffalo, NY - Buffalo Iron Works
April 20 - Albany, NY - Lark Hall
May 2 - Washington, D.C. - Union Stage
May 3 - Philadelphia, PA - MilkBoy
May 10 - Ithaca, NY - Deep Dive
May 11 - Ithaca, NY - Deep Dive
May 18 - Edinboro, PA - Downtown Edinboro Arts and Music Festival
Credit: Bella Seastrand
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