Over the years, many have encouraged me to write an autobiography. However, it never really appealed to me.
So, in lieu of an uninteresting written autobiography I’ve made this record. I do this not so much to tell my own story but to pay tribute to my mother, father, sisters, extended family, friends, and those who have shared their lives with me.
Fathers, Sons and Brothers available to pre-order now 3-LP Ltd edition Red, White & Blue vinyl gatefold set with 12-page booklet, a 2-CD set with 20-page booklet.
David Lowery, chief singer-songwriter and frontman from the aforementioned bands, is now taking a much different approach to his songwriting and is singing about something he's really never dug that deep into - himself.
On his latest sprawling 28-song solo album, Fathers, Sons and Brothers, Lowery lets his memory, and pen, traverse back to some of his earliest memories as a child in an English seaside town ("Frozen Sea"). Throughout the length of the album, he chronologically takes us through his youth (attending a Spanish bullfight with his family, where he asks "Papa, do they really kill the bull?") and carries on through his coming-of-age period (re-locating to California's Coachella Valley with his family in the '70s, as well as a humorous tale of landing in Disneyland jail after getting sh*t-faced on vodka and mushrooms at the theme park, and standing up to bullies in his disabled sister's defense).
David recalls moving away from his loving parents' home ("Mom, I'm Living the Life"), starting a band ("I Wrote A Song Called Take The Skinheads Bowling") and then goes onto detail an early love that sadly disintegrated due to his own self-described anger and selfishness on, perhaps, the album's most moving track ("Mexican Chickens").
The album further delves into the ups and downs of his music careers with both groups (tapping into CVB band tensions on "We Hate You" and Cracker's quick rise to fame in the early/mid '90s on "It Don't Last Long"). He recalls hooking up with his future ex-wife in Richmond, VA ("Pretty Girl from Oregon Hill"), and details friends (Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous on "Mark Loved Dogs and Babies"), family, children, divorce and more.
By the end of this lengthy, insightful album, you get the feeling that you really know this artist, how he thinks, and have a good sense about who he really is... warts and all. Just as every good autobiography worth its salt does. Thankfully this one just happens to be bound with some truly gorgeous melodies and songs.
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