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 Joe Ely uncovers hidden gems for his 29th solo album, Love and Freedom. Release date: February 7, 2025 The thirteen tracks that form Love and Freedom serve as a healing elixir for the world's emotional turmoil. “These songs are a little radical,” says Joe Ely. “I feel like it’s a good time to stand up and speak out.” His wife and creative partner, Sharon Ely, adds, “The way we express ourselves is through our art and music.” Ely recorded these songs—exploring themes of immigration, poverty, war, justice, love, and freedom—over several decades at his own Spur Studios. He had stored them in a folder titled Love and Freedom and rediscovered them in the fall of 2024. The challenge? The recordings were rough mix demos, and the original multi-tracks had vanished. Sharon suggested enlisting musician, longtime friend, and master producer Lloyd Maines to breathe new life into the tracks. “Joe has always set the bar high,” Maines says. “Without access to the original multi-tracks, we had to get creative to shape the right sound.” Maines layered instruments onto the recordings, adding acoustic guitar, slide guitar, and bass. “Joe’s vocal is just killer, and having that as the foundation is fantastic,” he says. Working with engineer Pat Manske at the Zone Recording Studio in Dripping Springs, Texas, Maines brought in Ely’s longtime collaborator David Grissom to add his signature guitar licks. Joel Guzman had already played accordion on the original sessions, while Ely himself handled guitar, harmonica, and percussion. The result is a remarkable and deeply authentic Joe Ely album featuring nine original songs and four covers of beloved classics. Ely delivers powerhouse renditions of Townes Van Zandt’s Waiting Around to Die and For the Sake of the Song, while his voice aches with longing on Guy Clark’s Magdalene. His haunting take on Woody Guthrie’s Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) is elevated by the evocative vocals of singer-songwriter and Yellowstone star Ryan Bingham. The album’s first single, Shake ‘Em Up, is what Ely calls “an ode to dice games in the Wild West.” He wrote No One Wins after visiting Ground Zero in the aftermath of 9/11. Adios Sweet Marie speaks to border conflicts in Texas, while Here’s to the Brave honors Native American resilience. Sergeant Baylock, inspired by a real-life Lubbock police officer who harassed Ely relentlessly, tells the tale of their many run-ins. The album’s weighty themes of social justice continue with Today It Did, Band of Angels, What Kind of War, and Surrender to the West. With Love and Freedom, Ely once again proves himself a fearless storyteller, unearthing long-lost gems that feel more urgent than ever. Tracks: 01. Shake ‘Em Up 02. Adios Sweet Dreams 03. Magdalene – Written by Guy Clark 04. Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos) (feat. Ryan Bingham – Written by Woody Guthrie 05. Waitin’ Around To Die – Written by Townes Van Zandt 06. Sergeant Baylock 07. Today It Did 08. Band Of Angels 09. For The Sake Of The Song 10. Here’s To The Brave 11. What Kind Of War 12. No One Wins 13. Surrender To The West Website: ely.com Opmerkingen zijn gesloten.
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