Nashville via Romford Spencer Cullum’s new album was recorded with his rotational cast of Coiners, including Rich Ruth, Caitlin Rose, Dana Gavanski, Sean Thompson and on his new single Erin Rae. ‘Betwixt and Between’ is a Wicker Man-inspired slice of Nashville pagan folk.
Spencer Cullum’s last album, Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection, made quite an impression, described in these pages by Bob Fish as, “based on styles from the 70s and 80s” while also noting “yet “what makes it unique is the way he uses his pedal steel guitar along with his band of cohorts to become stylistic shamans, subtly converting genres and creating contexts reminiscent of the past while forging new ground.”
For his follow-up, Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 2 (14th April via Full Time Hobby – Pre-order here), we are told that the Nashville-based musician takes a step further from the pedal steel and towards centre stage as he delivers a ‘kaleidoscopic collection of folk, jazz, and pop, cut though with immaculately-rendered songwriting.’
We are given a second flavour of the album with his new single ‘Betwixt and Between’, featuring classic Coin member Erin Rae on vocals. The track, written by Spencer and long-time collaborator Andrew Combs, follows the story of a soldier who leaves his coastal home to go to was, knowing he won’t return. Spencer, Erin Rae and Skyway Man put on a Halloween event a couple of years ago where they played the music from the 1973 film The Wicker Man. The production and arrangement of those songs filtered through into Betwixt and Between in particular. “A Nashville pagan folk homage”, as Spencer puts it. The accompanying video by Hollow Hand (Camera by Dominic Billett), accentuates that whole vintage pagan vibe.
Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection UK Tour
Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection will tour the UK + Europe in April + May 2023. Guests include Rich Ruth and Sean Thompson. Tickets are on sale now, available here.
April
19th DE Cologne Blue Shell
20th DE Hamburg Aalhaus
21st DK Copenhagen Huset KBH
24th UK Brighton Hope and Ruin
25th UK Leeds Hyde Park Book Club
26th UK Glasgow Broadcast
27th UK Belfast Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival
28th IE Kilkenny Kilkenny Roots Festival
29th IE Dublin Whelan’s
May
2nd UK Birmingham Hare and Hounds
3rd UK London The Lexington
4th BE Arlon Les Aralunaires
5th FR Paris L’International
Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 2 Tracklisting
1. What a Waste of an Echo (feat. Dana Gavanski)
2. Kingdom Weather (feat. Yuma Abe)
3. Green Trees
4. Out of Focus
5. The Three Magnets (feat. Rich Ruth)
6. Betwixt and Between (feat. Erin Rae)
7. Cold Damp Valley
8. That Same Day Departure (feat. Caitlin Rose)
Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection 2 is out on 14th April via Full Time Hobby – Pre-order here