Next week, on August 14th, sees the release of Right Now, the new album from Boston, MA’s Twisted Pine whose declarative album title finds them emerging phoenix-like from their bluegrass roots with a display of new vibrant colours in an explosive display of fusion, merging folk and roots, jazz, funk and pop.
The band is among a new generation of line-blurrers; musician musos who don’t see any reason not to let their influences mingle and meander off the beaten path. New single and album opener “Right Now” feels as if Twisted Pine have hired a drummer for the new album, but that’s just Sartori’s bass and Dan Bui’s mandolin chop effortlessly holding down a backbeat heavy groove under Kathleen Parks’ singing and fiddling and tasteful flourishes from Twisted Pine’s newest member, flautist Anh Phung.
While they may be blurring lines, they’re all the brighter for it…just keep on driving forward and don’t stop to look in that rearview mirror.
Kathleen Parks shared the following on the song.
It’s been really weird these last five months, thinking of times gone by and times that would be if Covid-19 wasn’t living and breathing all over our communities and world. Many of us have had to put our lives on hold, and are missing our friends, family, and the things we love. I know I’m certainly looking forward to getting back on the road with Twisted Pine and performing for people again who live for live music. The flip side of my feelings about not being able to see people include not having to be around or close to the stupidity of mankind. I’m sure many of you out there have had an experience like this; either with someone you’ve had a falling out with, or in this case, an unaware ex who just has to bring up the past and over-share in the process when you just came out to have a good time! Next time you feel lonely about missing out on a large gathering, think of this situation and maybe you’ll be glad you decided to just chill at home, eat that pint you fancy, and not catch Covid or that drama.
Kathleen Parks, Twisted Pine
Right Now is ripe with the grooves of 2 am funk jams, the sass of zero-gravity pop, and the astral flute and shoobedoos of 70s radio; all from fairly traditional instruments played in a very non-traditional way. Says Twisted Pine bassist, Chris Sartori: “You could call it, ‘neo-folk indie soul avant jazz jam grass-icana’ but that doesn’t quite roll off the tongue”.
They can call it what they like…just keep playing it.
https://www.twistedpineband.com/
Photo Credit: Joanna Chattman Photography