NEW MUSIC: Garrett Pierce ‘Distant Thought’

Garrett Pierce speaks about his music and new LP Dusk…

‘Dusk is a collection of stories that span a lifetime. It’s a travelogue from my younger years – nostalgic episodes of seasick fishing boats, suffocating poverty, and first loves. It’s a road trip soundtrack from the desert to the coastal forests, stopping at every shitty Greyhound bus station along the way. It’s the purples and grays that conclude another day; another phase of my life.’

‘Dusk is my fourth LP, and by far the most realized.’

‘In the Spring of 2016 I built a studio at the back of my house in Sonoma, CA (with the help of engineer Eric Ruud) and over the next six months, played and recorded the album on my own. As the record found it’s final form, long-time collaborators Timothy James Wright and Payam Bavafa added instrumentation to select tracks.’

‘My songs have always been stark and lyric-based, but Dusk is more expansive with rich organs and pianos to go along with the guitars. When asked about my influences I’ve always been more apt to cite Richard Brautigan, John Steinbeck or Ernest Hemingway than a contemporary songwriter. But more recently, I’ve looked back on musicians who were able to combine poignant, dark lyrical content with a melodic backbone like Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, and Joni Mitchell. The album has a story arch which benefits from unbroken listening . The first song begins in the crisp dawn air, and ends with me packing my bags at Dusk. In a strange way it feels like a bookend and a beginning at the same time – the way the sunset brings the night, yet the darkness is oftentimes the most exciting part of the day.’

Garrett Pierce for Crash Avenue.

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