compassion: a petal motel compilation for human rights

Petal Motel releases compassion: a compilation for human rights featuring SUSS, Scott Hirsch, Bobby Lee, Golden Brown, and more.

On March 3rd, Petal Motel is sharing a Bandcamp-exclusive digital compilation benefiting the National Network of Abortion Funds. Songs range from atmospheric soundscapes to heartfelt jangle folk songs, and everything in between. Petal Motel put out the call for Petal Motel-esque songs (anything with acoustic guitar, pedal steel, drone, field recordings, intricate riffs, and other motifs of Cosmic Americana the music blog tends to celebrate) and 32 artists absolutely delivered. 

compassion has something for everyone- from electrifying ambient soundscapes interwoven with lap steel and field recordings (Davide Cedolin feat. Seawind of Battery, Duncan Park); to proggy indie rock anthems (Evening Glass’s Pavement-esque ramble); to dream-like covers of JJ Cale (Scott Hirsch), the Grateful Dead (Ernie Francestine, Gold Dust), and a haunting, Pelt-inspired traditional tune by Wes Tirey & Andrew Weathers. The sequencing begins on the folky side of ambient, takes a lyrical turn, gets deeper into drone, and comes back around again with Tirey & Weathers’ take on “May the Circle Be Unbroken”, a reminder that all music is folk music – at least, these artists. They’re folks, making music for the folks – not for the clicks, not for the algorithm, just music from the heart. The title of the compilation speaks to the idea of solidarity – none of us are free until everyone is.

Luke Elliott (who contributed a gorgeous track with Wynnm) selflessly mastered all tracks that were submitted without mastering and balanced the levels to create a cohesive listening experience, giving the final product his magical touch. The compilation cover, painted by Petal Motel blogger Lara Bennett, is also for sale for the benefit.

compassion is available on March 3rd at petalmotel.bandcamp.com. Pre-order it now!

Tracklisting: 

  1. Bobby Lee – Christ in the Curl 08:52
  2. Surface Noise – For Brenda 02:15
  3. Holland Hopson – Red at the Edges 03:56
  4. Derek Monypeny – Poor Richard 06:11
  5. Golden Brown – Traveling Waves 04:21
  6. Ernie Francestine – Bird Song 05:13
  7. Duncan Park – Heaven to Bring You Back 04:05
  8. Davide Cedolin – Lische Alte 06:44
  9. The Howard Hughes Suite – Phantom Rain 04:31
  10. SUSS – Far Away 05:26
  11. Aaron Fisher and Rob Stephenson – Blue Jay Blue Night 05:39
  12. Seawind of Battery – The Sound of Leaving Behind 04:40
  13. Cowboy Cold – Two Bald Women of Dawson County 03:30
  14. Gold Dust – Cassidy 04:02
  15. Scott Hirsch – Drifter’s Wife 01:48
  16. Daytime Moon – Slow Motion 03:12
  17. Evening Glass – Out of my Head 03:13
  18. Riggings – Econoline Van 05:53
  19. RVBY MY DEAR – Black Moon 04:04
  20. Solilians – Noshville 07:09
  21. A Paranoid King – Cymru is the True California 04:55
  22. Daniel Talton – Someone Sees Me 02:39
  23. Arthur Krumins – If I Go 02:46
  24. The Royal Arctic Institute – Repo Code 03:40
  25. droneroom – the dreams of horses (for nicole) 05:35
  26. Gold Ramble – Super Massive 17:17
  27. Pete Fosco – Clouds of Light 04:52
  28. Quintelium – Down in the Blue Chair 06:03
  29. Lifted River – Two Paths Meet 04:12
  30. Wynnm & Luke Elliott – Oracle 03:08
  31. The Modern Folk – Deleted Scene Three 01:53
  32. Wes Tirey & Andrew Weathers – Will the Circle Be Unbroken 06:39

About Petal Motel: Petal Motel is a website established in ~2019 dedicated to covering folk, ambient, americana, indie rock, and anything else the founder considers ‘cosmic american music’, no matter where the artist exists in space and time.