SYML

The 2nd SYML album, The Day My Father Died, will be out on February 3, 2023. Vinyl pre-orders are live in the web store and you can pre-save it on Spotify and Apple Music so you don’t miss it on release day.

I want to say that I can’t believe this album came together the way that it has, but the truth is that I believe and feel all of it. The creative collaborators I once dreamed of working with are now friends. The ways I developed as a musician and songwriter feel natural and honest.

This album has 15 songs on it (like the old days?). I wrote most of them before my father died, and recorded the album a few months after he passed. My producer, Phil Ek, had just had a baby when we started working on the record, which made for a special time to be creative together! Working with Phil was exciting, humbling, and memorable. This dude has produced some INSANE records that are beloved by everyone I know. I also had an opportunity to collaborate with musicians like Guy Garvey, Sara Watkins, Charlotte Lawrence, and Lucius. The music they create is beautiful, unique, and I feel fortunate that we now have songs together. Again, I want to say I can’t believe it’s happened, but it has.

Lastly, this 15 song monster deserves a big double vinyl paired with some beautiful artwork, so that’s what we did. Thanks to Alex Alvarez, The Day My Father Died has a face, and you can pre-order the vinyl from my store. I’m signing the first thousand copies so reserve your copy ASAP.

I released a song called “Lost Myself” a couple weeks ago, but I didn’t mention that I had an opportunity to collaborate with one of my musical heroes on a version of the song.

As a bit of background, I have been a fan of the band Elbow ever since college. Their album Cast of Thousands got stuck in my car CD player, and it would start playing whenever I turned on my car.

I always envisioned “Lost Myself” being a duet, but was stumped (for years!) on who to invite. Thinking back to Elbow and that stuck CD, Guy Garvey’s voice came to mind. We ended up getting connected, and I told him about the song. I said I’d love to have him join me and make it his own. He sent a beautifully written and sung verse a few weeks later, and I melted. The peaceful longing in his voice fit perfectly, and his words hit me in the heart.

I released that version of “Lost Myself” this morning, and I hope Guy’s words and voice hit you the same way they hit me.