Stories Don’t End
While the city of Los Angeles has been both an inspiration and a home to the four members of Dawes, they found themselves traveling East last fall to record their third album in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina with newly enlisted producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, Norah Jones). It was a chance to hunker down and work each day for a month away from familiar landmarks and routines. The tracks they laid down at Asheville’s Echo Mountain Studio have yielded a 12-song LP, titled Stories Don’t End, exhibit tremendous sonic and narrative clarity, book-ended in classic album fashion by two very different versions of the wistful “Just Beneath The Surface.”
Ghettoblaster recently caught up with chief songwriter and lead vocalist Taylor Goldsmith, who has an uncanny gift for penning tunes that balance tough and tender, hardboiled and heartbroken to discuss the album, which drops April 9 on HUB records. This is what he said…
When did you begin writing the material for your most recent album?
About six months after Nothing Is Wrong came out.
What was the most difficult song to take from the initial writing stage through recording and mixing? Why was it so troublesome?
It wasn’t particularly “troublesome” but “Bear Witness” was the last song written for the record, and it was written after pre-production so it was the one we inevitably spent the most time on.
Which of the songs on the record is most different from your original concept for the song?
“Side Effects.” It was originally played as a gentle ballad and it ended up being the biggest song on the record in some ways.
Did you have any guest musicians play or sing on the record?
Orpheo from Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes plays percussion on “From A Window Seat.” That’s it, though.
What input did producer Jacquire [King] have that changed the face of the record, if anything?
The power of the final mixes are definitely all Jacquire. He also has a great ear for making sure each subsequent section of a song is serving a clear purpose.
Is there an overarching concept behind your new album that ties the record together?
No. I like to think it’s representative of a time and place in my life in regards to songwriting, but there’s no conscious theme or concept at work.
Have you begun playing these songs live and which songs have elicited the strongest reaction from your fans?
Yeah, most of them. The ones that have gotten the best responses have been inevitably the most live-sounding songs like “From A Window Seat,” “Most People” and “Side Effects,” but people have seemed pretty receptive to all of them so far, I think.
(Catch the band at one of the following dates:
APRIL
02 – Minneapolis, MN – Electric Fetus
05 – Buffalo, NY – SUNY Buffalo – Alumni Arena *
06 – Amherst, MA – University of Massachusetts – Mullins Center *
07 – Knoxville, TN – Rhythm & Blooms
08 – Kingston, RI – University of Rhode Island – Ryan Center *
09 – Lowell, MA – University of Massachusetts – Tsongas Center *
10 – Lewiston, ME – Androscoggin Bank Colisée *
12 – Newark, DE – University of Delaware – Bob Carpenter Center *
13 – California, PA – California University – Convocation Center *
14 – Ithaca, NY – Cornell University – Barton Hall *
16 – Richmond, VA – Landmark Theatre *
18 – Bethlehem, PA – Lehigh University – Stabler Arena *
19 – Akron, OH – The University of Akron – EJ Thomas Hall *
20 – Kalamazoo, MI – Wings Stadium *
21 – Bowling Green, OH – Bowling Green State University – Stroh Center *
23 – St. Louis, MO – Peabody Opera House *
24 – Springfield, MO – Missouri State University – JQH Arena *
25 – Champaign, IL – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall *
26 – Seattle, WA – Showbox at the Market (co-headline with Dr. Dog)
28 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom (co-headline with Dr. Dog)
30 – Asheville, NC – U.S. Cellular Center*
MAY
01 – Charlotte, NC – Time Warner Cable Uptown Amphitheatre *
02 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater *
04 – Charleston, SC – Family Circle Magazine Stadium *
05 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre *
24 – Bellevue, CO – Mishawaka Amphitheatre
26 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
31 – Austin, TX – Tower Amphitheater (supporting The Avett Brothers and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals)
JUNE
01 – Dallas, TX – KXT Summer Cut (w/ The Avett Brothers, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Hayes Carll, Matt & Kim, Milo Greene)
02 – Houston, TX – Free Press Summer Fest
04 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s #
05 – Mobile, AL – Alabama Music Box #
07 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
08 – Birmingham, AL – Sloss Furnace (supporting Alabama Shakes) **SOLD OUT**
09 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium #
14 – Newport, KY – Southgate House #
15 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Music Theater #
16 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone #
19 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
22 – New York, NY – Terminal 5 #
JULY
05 – Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Blues Festival
06 – Toronto, ON – Toronto Urban Roots Fest
10 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue #
12 – Madison, WI – Barrymore Theatre #
13 – Louisville, KY – Forecastle Festival
14 – Iowa City, IA – Englert Theatre #
16 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall #
17 – Little Rock, AR – Revolution Music Room #
20 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue #
23 – Baltimore, MD – Ram’s Head #
24 – Port Chester, NY – Capitol Theatre #
* = supporting Bob Dylan
# = Shovels & Rope supporting)
02 – Minneapolis, MN – Electric Fetus
05 – Buffalo, NY – SUNY Buffalo – Alumni Arena *
06 – Amherst, MA – University of Massachusetts – Mullins Center *
07 – Knoxville, TN – Rhythm & Blooms
08 – Kingston, RI – University of Rhode Island – Ryan Center *
09 – Lowell, MA – University of Massachusetts – Tsongas Center *
10 – Lewiston, ME – Androscoggin Bank Colisée *
12 – Newark, DE – University of Delaware – Bob Carpenter Center *
13 – California, PA – California University – Convocation Center *
14 – Ithaca, NY – Cornell University – Barton Hall *
16 – Richmond, VA – Landmark Theatre *
18 – Bethlehem, PA – Lehigh University – Stabler Arena *
19 – Akron, OH – The University of Akron – EJ Thomas Hall *
20 – Kalamazoo, MI – Wings Stadium *
21 – Bowling Green, OH – Bowling Green State University – Stroh Center *
23 – St. Louis, MO – Peabody Opera House *
24 – Springfield, MO – Missouri State University – JQH Arena *
25 – Champaign, IL – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall *
26 – Seattle, WA – Showbox at the Market (co-headline with Dr. Dog)
28 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom (co-headline with Dr. Dog)
30 – Asheville, NC – U.S. Cellular Center*
MAY
01 – Charlotte, NC – Time Warner Cable Uptown Amphitheatre *
02 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater *
04 – Charleston, SC – Family Circle Magazine Stadium *
05 – St. Augustine, FL – St. Augustine Amphitheatre *
24 – Bellevue, CO – Mishawaka Amphitheatre
26 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
31 – Austin, TX – Tower Amphitheater (supporting The Avett Brothers and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals)
JUNE
01 – Dallas, TX – KXT Summer Cut (w/ The Avett Brothers, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Hayes Carll, Matt & Kim, Milo Greene)
02 – Houston, TX – Free Press Summer Fest
04 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s #
05 – Mobile, AL – Alabama Music Box #
07 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
08 – Birmingham, AL – Sloss Furnace (supporting Alabama Shakes) **SOLD OUT**
09 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium #
14 – Newport, KY – Southgate House #
15 – Royal Oak, MI – Royal Oak Music Music Theater #
16 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone #
19 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
22 – New York, NY – Terminal 5 #
JULY
05 – Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Blues Festival
06 – Toronto, ON – Toronto Urban Roots Fest
10 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue #
12 – Madison, WI – Barrymore Theatre #
13 – Louisville, KY – Forecastle Festival
14 – Iowa City, IA – Englert Theatre #
16 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall #
17 – Little Rock, AR – Revolution Music Room #
20 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue #
23 – Baltimore, MD – Ram’s Head #
24 – Port Chester, NY – Capitol Theatre #
* = supporting Bob Dylan
# = Shovels & Rope supporting)
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