Rising Appalachia Releases LEYLINES, Produced By Joe Henry
By: Tori Hartshorn May. 03, 2019
Sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith, known musically as Rising Appalachia, are proud to release their new album, Leylines. Click here to purchase/stream.
Leylines, the band's seventh studio album,was produced by Joe Henry-the title alluding to the concept of invisible lines believed to stretch around the world between sacred spaces, bonded by a spiritual and magnetic presence. That deep sense of connection is key to understanding Rising Appalachia as a whole.
For the ten-day recording session in Marin County, CA, Rising Appalachia called on legendary producer Joe Henry, along with longtime band members David Brown(stand-up bass, baritone guitar) and Biko Casini (world percussion, n'goni) and two new members, West African musician Arouna Diarra (n'goni, talking drum) and Irish musician Duncan Wickel (fiddle, cello) to bring new life to the band's blend of world music laced with their own southern roots, creating an inviting folk album. Although Leah and Chloe Smith consider their voices to be their primary instrument, Leah also plays banjo and bodhran on the album, while Chloe plays guitar, fiddle, and banjo. Special guests on Leylines include folk hero Ani DiFranco, soulful songwriter Trevor Hall, and jazz trumpeter Maurice Turner.
Leylines runs the gamut with standout songs, all of which are freshly inspired and inspiring. "Cuckoo" brings together banjo, West African n'goni, and Irish fiddle to tackle the old-time Appalachian fiddle tune with a driving fervor. In March, Paste Magazinepremiered "Cuckoo," calling the track "upbeat and sturdy...rustic Appalachian music revamped for 2019." The uplifting and simple "Sunny Days," featured by Relix,brightens the day with no more than the Smith sisters' blend of voices and basic backbeat hand claps for percussion. Rising Appalachia's "longtime favorite" Ani DiFrancocontributes her legendary vocal stylings to "Speak Out," a musical urge to protect the American South's diversity, culture, and environmental wealth from the negative impact of consumption and capitalism in its modern age. On Tuesday of this week, Brooklyn Vegan premiered "Speak Out," noting that the song has an "appealing dose of fiddle-fueled folk with close harmonies and some pitter patter percussion."
?"With some of our original songs, it's a reflection of the times. We're folk singers and we consider this a folk album, so there's a lot in there. There's word of politics, of being women in the music industry, as well as a lot about our lives on the road." Last year, the band released a duo version of "Resilient." NPR praised the track as an "uplifting, original folk anthem" and Rolling Stone called their sound "protest music for the modern age bolstered by delicate, skillful musicianship and otherworldly vocal harmonies." A full-band version of "Resilient" can be heard on the new album. In February of this year, the band released "Harmonize" as the first single, which was premiered by Rolling Stone.
Rising Appalachia has toured British Columbia by sailboat, traversed the U.S. and Europe by train, and engaged in immersive cultural exchange programs in Bulgaria, Ireland, and Southern Italy, as well as Central and South America-not to mention the countless miles in their tour van. Tour highlights include Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco, Music Hall Williamsburg in Brooklyn, New York, Boulder Theatre in Boulder, Colorado, and the Showbox in Seattle, Washington. The band's routinely packed rooms around the globe are a testament to their self-built success and extremely loyal fan base, with no small degree of stubborn independence.
On Tour
May 5 - One Eyed Jacks - New Orleans, LA
May 8 - Music Box - San Diego, CA
May 10 - Lightning in a Bottle - Bakersfield, CA
May 24 - Kerrville Folk Festival - Kerrville, TX
June 6 - Pyro Arts and Music Festival - Garretsville, OH
June 15 - Palisade Bluegrass and Roots Music Festival - Palisade, CO
June 16 - The State Room - Salt Lake City, UT
June 19 - Rialto Bozeman - Bozeman, MT
June 20 - 4 Peaks Music Festival - Bend, OR
?June 22 - World Village Festival - Boise, ID
June 23 - 4 Peaks Music Festival - Bend, OR
July 5 - Rio Theatre - Santa Cruz, CA
July 6 - Esalen Midsummer Festival - Big Sur, CA
July 20 - Evolve Festival - Fredericton, Canada
Aug. 2 - ARISE Music Festival - Loveland, CO
Sept. 6 - Sisters Folk Festival - Sisters, OR
About Rising Appalachia
As world travelers for nearly two decades, Rising Appalachia have merged multiple global music influences with their own southern roots to create the inviting new folk album,Leylines. Remarkably the band built its legion of listeners independently-a self-made success story that has led to major festival appearances and sold-out shows at venues across the country. Rising Appalachia is composed of co-founders and sisters Leah Smith (vocals, banjo, bodhran) and Chloe Smith (guitar, fiddle, banjo) as well as David Brown (stand-up bass, baritone guitar), Biko Casini (world percussion, n'goni), Arouna Diarra (n'goni, talking drum), and Duncan Wickel (fiddle, cello).
Leylines is being released in partnership In Partnership with Guayaki's
Come to Life
Rising Appalachia is excited to partner with Come to Life for the release of Leylines. Come to Life serves as the good news network for the regenerative movement. The music and media platform is fueled by Guayaki Yerba Mate, whose vision holds that yerba mate culture Will Power their Market Driven Regeneration business model to regenerate ecosystems and create vibrant communities. We are driven by the sharing and celebrating of Yerba Mate, Arts, Activism, Craft and Culture. In rhythm with Guayaki's deeply principled journey, Come to Life is moving to change the model for interaction between artists and organizations in order to create collective change in the world. By facilitating partnerships and collaborations in authentic and holistic ways, Come to Life is creating a family of artists, activists and change-makers who seamlessly combine their voices, actions, and love to foster regeneration and create positive change in the world.
Leah and Chloe say of the partnership, "We have always believed in building teams larger than ourselves, in extending our arms out into community and into a larger network of hard working souls that unite with mission and art. We are aligned by our common desire to see art effect real change. It has been an honor to grow with Come To Life and to collaborate with the many incredible thinkers that it holds high. We have been mentored by Guayaki's global regenerative leadership, and through that have grown the reach of our work as well." For more information, please visit www.cometolife.com.
Comments
Videos