Spirit Of Us is the lead track from the final volume of Dean Owens’ The Ridge Trilogy EPs (Sacri Cuori), released on Friday, November 29. It is also the prelude to his upcoming Spirit Ridge album, which the track also features on.
Recorded at Crinale Studio, a 400-year-old farmhouse in the hills in Emilia Romagna, Italy – the land of Dean’s lion-tamer great-great-grandfather – with renowned Italian producerDon Antonio.
Spirit Of Us is one of Dean’s oldest songs (and a fan favourite) and has been given a new lease of life in this new recording, which features special guest John Convertino (Calexico) on drums and vibraphone. Convertino introduced Dean and Don Antonio after they had been discussing their Italian heritage. He thought they would get on well. He wasn’t wrong!
Dean: I wrote Spirit Of Us around the time we found out my wife was pregnant. There’s a little nod to one of our favourite films in here too – It’s a Wonderful Life. It was also one of my mum’s favourites, so there’s an added poignancy to it now, with her passing a couple of months ago.
Spirit Of Us is a boldly romantic ballad that captures the warmth of the festive season, featuring a deeply emotional vocal performance and a characteristic heartfelt melancholy.
The video was filmed around Dean’s new home in the Scottish Borders by long-term collaborator Ruth Barrie of Waltzer Films.
Musician Credits:
Dean Owens – lead vocals, nylon string guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
The Stone Buffalo Band:
Don Antonio – guitars, lap steel, mellotron, piano
Luca Giovacchini – guitars, dobro
Piero Perelli – drums and percussion
Danilo Gallo – double bass, bass guitar
With John Convertino (Calexico) on drums and vibraphone
Produced by Dean Owens and Don Antonio
Bandcamp: https://deanowens.bandcamp.com/album/the-ridge-trilogy-eps-vol-3-sacri-cuori
Website: https://www.deanowens.com/
Spirit Ridge will be released on 14 Feb 2025 (on Netherlands label Continental Song City) and will be officially launched at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections on Sun 2 Feb. Dean and his band, the Sinners, then head to Australia’s Port Fairy Folk Festival in March and the Netherlands in May.