The Drunken Hearts Release Wheels of the City
October 18, 2019 on LoHi Records
Produced by Tim Carbone at Silo Sound Studios in Denver, Colorado
Out Now: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/thedrunkenhearts/wheels-of-the-city-4
DENVER, CO — The Drunken Hearts release Wheels of the City October 18 on LoHi Records. Produced by Tim Carbone (Railroad Earth), the album was recorded at Silo Sound Studios in Denver, Colorado, and mastered by Jim Wilson. On Wheels of the City, The Drunken Hearts deliver tales of adventure, love, risk, and realization.
Kind Words about Wheels of the City:
“Powerhouse singer Andrew McConathy is commanding from the outset on ‘Fire in House’ as he proceeds to light up Wheels of the City… More than anything, Drunken Hearts will evoke little snippets of our nostalgic memories of our favorite country-rock and rock bands. Yet, their music, as stated, is a bit more complex, without the usual clichés. And, surely McConathy has one of the most memorable voices in roots music.”
—Glide, Jim Hynes
“They bring positive proof of their sturdy existence in the form of Wheels of the City, a pulsating, ambitious, adventurous new record… Throughout an 11-song escapade, gutsy listeners might experience any number of thrilling sensations: the beauty of a string section on ‘Passchendaele’; a vibrant brass attack on ‘Wheels of the City’, the title cut inspired by Jack Kerouac’s essay ‘The Vanishing American Hobo’; and a psychedelic bridge on both ‘Two Hearts (On a Limb)’ and ‘Unrest’, the latter a lively folk tale about a weary man dying to go to sleep.”
—PopMatters (full-length album premiere stream), Michael Bialas
“Made up of songs that emphasize positivity they start with ‘Fire in a House’ — a typical classic rock era swipe without sounding too retro. What’s commendable is the band maintains an absorbing pace… Rock & roll seeps into the fibers of ‘Unrest.’ It’s piano pounds as drums bop similar to The Beatles White Album years — quite impressive. This song is stellar.”
—Americana Highways, John Apice
“This album is a rare and natural gem that embodies its beauty through its rawness… Unlike a sad whiskey shot, these are eleven tequila toasts in a row.”
—Live Gig Source, Nathan M. Emerson
“Throughout the album, you hear examples of McConathy’s way of painting a picture with his words. The best example of that is in the title track. Over a gentle rhythm and a muted melody, he sings about someone who sleeps in a doorway, back to the wall. He goes on to sing, “Let’s build a bridge and not a wall. Something to bind us and not to divide us all.’ While the subject matter is heavy, the message is ultimately one of hope that is accented nicely with some horns at the end.”
—Americana Highways, Gary Schwind
“Listening to The Drunken Hearts pending release, Wheels of the City, dispels the notion that they are a one dimensional entity. There is country, with pedal steel and banjo, as well as elements of soul, some of the classic Laurel Canyon sound, touches of rock comparable to Drive-By Truckers, and alt-country stylings reminiscent of Son Volt.”
—NYS Music, Brian Cornish
More about The Drunken Hearts:
The Drunken Hearts. Photo by Tobin Voggesser
Mixing their mountain-spirit with the twang of the south, this electrifying five-man band met and live in the Denver/Boulder area of Colorado. Acoustic guitarist and powerhouse lead singer, Andrew McConathy is originally from Shreveport, Louisiana, and is known for his compelling songwriting and distinct and expressive vocals. Joining him are pedal steel, dobro, and lap steel player Cody Russell and electric guitarist and vocalist Kory Montgomery, both from Arkansas, along with bassist Jon McCartan, from Upstate New York by way of Vermont, and, from the outskirts of Chicago, drummer Alex Johnson.
The band wanted to try something new for this album: to create and record a new song each day, and continue that model until an entire album was realized. The result is eleven full-fledged, living, breathing, musical time capsules that make up Wheels of the City.
“I loved working on this record with The Drunken Hearts,” exclaims Tim Carbone, a partner in LoHi Records. “We did a song a day and except for some vocal overdubs, solo replacements and the strings and horns, that was how it all went down. I’d never worked that way before. It was an amazing stretch of hyper-creativity. I’m very proud of Wheels of the City!”
With notable performances at Winter WonderGrass Steamboat (CO), Winter WonderGrass Squaw Valley (CA), Mumford & Sons Gentlemen of the Road Fest (CO), Electric Forest (MI), FloydFest (VA), Vertex (CO), Fayetteville Roots Fest (AR), Hangtown Music Festival (CA), Bohemian Nights at New West Fest (CO), Northwest String Summit (OR), Grandoozy (CO), Four Peaks Festival (OR), and the band’s very own Yarmony Music Festival (CO), the band is very much at home on the festival circuit. They have also supported Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Greensky Bluegrass, Railroad Earth, Deer Tick, Leftover Salmon, String Cheese Incident, among others.
The band is touring the country from coast-to-coast, with stops at famed venues and festivals along the way and is set to perform a slew of shows with Yonder Mountain String Band during this album release cycle.
The Drunken Hearts Wheels of the City Tour Dates:
10/18 Fri – Norfolk, CT – Infinity Music Hall and Bistro*
10/19 Sat – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Place*
10/30 Wed – Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub
10/31 Thu – Coos Bay, OR – 7 Devils Brewing Co.
11/1 Fri – Salem, OR – Governor’s Cup
11/2 Sat – Portland, OR – Private Party
11/13 Wed – Baltimore, MD – The 8×10*
11/14 Thu – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Bowl*
11/15 Fri – Ardmore, PA – The Ardmore Music Hall*
11/16 Sat – Boulder, CO – The Fox Theatre
11/17 Sun – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios*
11/19 Tue – Greenfield, MA – Hawks & Reed PAC*
11/21 Thu – Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall*
11/22 Fri – Pawtucket, RI – The Met*
11/23 Sat – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall*
11/24 Sun – York, PA – The Capitol Theatre*
* supporting Yonder Mountain String Band
Wheels of the City Track Listing and Credits
- Fire in a House 4:02
- Shining Eyes 3:24
- Alive ‘n Free 3:47
- Run It All Together 3:09
- Unrest 3:42
- Wheels of the City 4:13
- Passchendaele 4:52
- Two Hearts (On a Limb) 3:15
- In the Middle 3:19
- Dream of Waiting 4:42
- The Cave 3:38
The Drunken Hearts:
Andrew McConathy – Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Vocals
Cody Russell – Pedal Steel, Lap Steel, Dobro
Jon McCartan – Electric Bass
Kory Montgomery – Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Vocals
Alex Johnson – Drums, Percussion
Special Guests:
Tim Carbone – Piano (tracks 1, 3, 5), Organ (3), Violin (3), Backing Vocals (7), Spoken Word (11), Percussion (1)
Sheryl Renee – Backing Vocals (tracks 7, 9)
Horn Section (track 6):
Sam Hoyt – Trumpet
Sam Burris – Trombone
John Devivo – French Horn
Jay Rattman – Alto Sax, Flute, Clarinet, and Arrangement
String Section (track 7):
Stephanie Bell – Violin
Chris Souza – Violin
Marsha Cahn – Viola
David Moulton – Cello
Jay Rattman – Arrangement
Produced by Tim Carbone / Engineered by Todd Divel / Recorded at Silo Sound Studios in Denver, CO
Mixed by Todd Divel with Tim Carbone / Mastered by Jim Wilson at Jim Wilson Mastering
Strings and Horns recorded by Don Sternecker at Mix-O-Lydian Recording
All songs arranged by The Drunken Hearts and Tim Carbone
For more information and updates from the road, please visit www.thedrunkenhearts.com, facebook.com/thedrunkenhearts, twitter.com/drunkenhearts, and instagram.com/thedrunkenhearts.
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