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Ripley Johnson of Rose City Band
I remember the *day* the first Rose City Band record quietly dropped, and when I say quietly, I mean, well, quiet in that distinct way the project’s mastermind and (usually) sole member Ripley Johnson makes richly textured, vibrant psychedelic music without relying on noise or feedback alone. It took no time at all for the music internet to put together that the overlap in signature tones and licks from Ripley’s other projects and those heard on Rose City Band were one in the same. As a huge fan of his work with Wooden Shjips and Moon Duo, his artistic evolution…
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Joe Bourdet: from the Mountains to the Sea
Joe Bourdet has been a staple on the LA scene since the days of Josh Schwartz’s Painted Hills and bluesy-rock outfit Whispering Pines, and more recently he’s played GospelbeacH’s Let It Burn and the upcoming Ben Reddell Band EP. At long last, he’s releasing his solo debut, Meadow Rock, inspired by the rolling hills of California, the sounds of the canyon (this one a bit more Topanga than Laurel, but both are present), and the spirit of the folk pioneers and pristine engineers that went before him. The record serves as an aural tour of the Golden State – from…
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Whisperer: Piedmont Pastimes – an interview by Lou Turner
Petal Motel is blessed to have contributing author Lou Turner return with another fantastic interview with a musician creating understated intricate folk from Appalachia. Sam Fuller Smith, aka Whisperer’s Piedmont Pastimes is a tender and sentimental collection of tunes, pondering fatherhood, the musical roots of the Carolinas, and the possibility for a future of possibilities for his newborn son. Featuring gorgeous slide, Fuller’s mesmerizing picking, and his gentle vocals and pensive lyrics, Piedmont Pastimes is ultimately about a sense of home and its meaning, both on a micro and macro level. Piedmont Pastimes by Sam Fuller-Smith LT: The record is…
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Wes Tirey, the Writer
Prolific songwriter, musician and poet Wes Tirey released his latest album, The Midwest Book of the Dead, on Dear Life at the end of April. Our wonderful contributor Lou Turner conducted a thoughtful written interview with Wes you can read here, but I was lucky to talk to him a bit more. Wes is an incredible lyricist and naturally his poems aren’t shabby either. I wanted to ask him specifically about his identity as a writer, how he processes poetry vs. songwriting, and how he got into music. I highly recommend listening to the Talking Book podcast in which Wes…
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Starlight Cleaning Co.
Rachel Dean and Tim Paul Gray, both accomplished performers, songwriters, and recording artists in their own rite, released their debut record together as Starlight Cleaning Co. just last week on Sofaburn Records. Produced by Bart Davenport and engineered by Joel Jerome, the duo recorded the album at their home studio, the very same in which Vetiver recorded last year’s gorgeous Up On High. The sounds on this record span many genres – from the more obvious power pop references to jangly and even some heavy metal moments. Their unique sound, vocal performances that emanate powerfully separately and meld together flawlessly,…
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David John Morris
David John Morris found himself taking Red River Road to Gambo Abbey in Nova Scotia, Canada and smiled to himself. It was one fortuitous signal among many along the way that led him to this place. Inside the Abbey, the Cornish songwriter became a temporarily ordained Buddhist monk and spent several months inside sans musical means of expression. After several months, he made a compelling argument to the elders and was permitted to acquire a guitar. From there, the songs fled from him and the idea to make an album, Monastic Love Songs, was conceived. Monastic Love Songs is a…
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Sarah Louise
I first became a fan of Sarah Louise’s floral fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing on her albums Deeper Woods and Field Guides, and remained intrigued by her more maximalist turn on 2019’s Nighttime Birds and Morning Stars, but nothing prepared me for Earth Bow. Sarah’s latest album is a sparkling, expansive exploration of meaning and melody, and also Sarah Louise’s most electronic record yet. As an admitted die-hard, erm, curmudgeon about electronic music, this conversation came at a somewhat pivotal time for me. I’m grateful to Sarah for the reminder that humans are after all the ones making electronic music, and that it can certainly…
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Wes Tirey : An Interview by Lou Turner
Petal Motel is pleased to publish our first contributor who isn’t Lara. Musician, poet, and writer Lou Turner was kind enough to conduct this wonderful interview with the most talented Wes Tirey about his latest album, The Midwest Book of the Dead, out April 30th on Dear Life Records. The Midwest Book of the Dead by Wes Tirey Like most of us, Wes Tirey had a tough 2020. The Asheville-based songwriter and poet lost his full-time job and went through a break-up, but emerged with a double album of new songs called The Midwest Book of the Dead—as well as…
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Jesse Aycock
Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Jesse Aycock. Jesse is a talented and in-demand multi-instrumentalist who has shared a stage with the Secret Sisters, Elizabeth Cook, and of course, he was a member of Hard Working Americans along with Todd Snider, Dave Schools, Neal Casal, Chad Staehly, and Duane Trucks. Jesse is also a singer and songwriter who just released his third solo album on Horton Records. The self-titled album is dedicated to Neal Casal, and his influence on Jesse as a songwriter is apparent here – the album is soulful, sensitive, tremendously sad, and immensely beautiful. Highlights from the album include “High Hopes,”…
