It is with a humble and reticent heart that I release The Bleak, Barbarian Pines into our noisy world. The five songs that make up this online EP have been tumbling around in my conscious and subconscious mind with increasing urgency these last months. It’s finally time to let them out!
Musically and lyrically, this EP picks up where Raven Steals the Moon left off. The texture is dominated by acoustic guitar, but electric guitar, mandolin, and other sounds have seeped into the cracks and pores.
Some notes about the songs: the lyrics of “The Spell of the Yukon” and the title of the EP were taken from the poetry of Robert Service. “Song for the Flatirons” is an instrumental that I wrote while living in Boulder, CO, probably around 2006. This is the first time the piece was recorded. “Audrianna” was inspired by a painting I saw at the Art Fair on the Square in Madison. I didn’t know I was being inspired to write a song until days after the fact, so I didn’t get the name of the artist. Thank you, whoever you are!
Speaking of thanks, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Elizabeth Galewski for designing the cover, providing advice throughout the whole process, and generally just believing in me. Thanks also go out to my family for the continued support, all the great bands and musicians I collaborate with regularly, and everyone who bought the last EP. Cheers!