Josh Kimbrough – Slither, Soar & Disappear, Track by Track
Josh Kimbrough’s solo debut record Slither, Soar & Disappear was one of my very favorite albums that came out on Tompkins Square in 2020, and now it’s being issued on vinyl via Worried Songs.
Josh’s guitar-based record isn’t like all the others. There’s no lonesomeness like many records we love via Tompkins Square. Instead, there’s a familial coziness, a very down-home feel balanced with finesse and elegance; and reading his track by track description of the album helps us understand why. In Josh’s own words, here are the stories behind this timeless collection of songs; and after you grab the vinyl, don’t miss Josh’s EP of holiday tunes (the only Christmas album we play in this house).
Without further ado, in Josh’s own words:
Sunbathing Water Snake – This one is named after a snake I’d walk past every other day as I was writing the album. It would hang out on the rocks next to the creek behind my house. This was one of the first tunes I wrote for the record. A major guiding principle with this set of songs was to let the melody lead the compositions. This song was certainly written with that principle in mind.
Two Thirds of a Snowman – The album as a whole is inspired by the feeling of being a new father. When my son, Simon, was a little over 1 year old, he experienced snow for the first time. It was a fun and memorable day. This song is named after the snowman we made. We only had enough snow to make a partial snowman. A headless snowman.
Glowing Treetops – When the sessions at Arbor Ridge Studios began, I thought I’d be making a solo guitar album with no accompaniment or overdubs. This is the tune that convinced me we could expand the sound palette. I love the fiddle chords that Bobby Britt added to the choruses. I also love the bowed bass part that Jeff Crawford came up with for the outro.
Backyard Hawk – This tune rose out of a picking pattern exercise. The thumb pattern was new to me, and so was the tuning: open C. I stumbled on some chord changes that felt good and then the song started taking shape. It’s one of those songs that requires me to be in the right mood to play it properly. It starts out lively, then it quickly dips down into a delicate and minor section before rising back up. Rachel Kiel did a beautiful job with the flute parts.
Morning Moon – This is one of the more haunting tunes on the album. I recorded the drone part sitting under a magnolia tree in my front yard at night. I was using an Ebow on an old tenor banjo my grandpa passed down to me. One of my favorite moments is Bobby’s violin pizzicato section toward the end.
Squirrel in the Leaves – When I was halfway through writing the album, I needed a new source of inspiration. So I bought a 12-string guitar. A 1970’s Seiwa, made in Japan. This song flowed forth as soon as I brought the guitar home. I have to give a ton of credit to Casey Toll who plays bass here. Casey came to the Squirrel session really well prepared and laid down a wonderfully loose and inspired take.
The Shape of Wind is a Tree – The title is lifted from a Wendell Berry poem. My friend Brandon Dorn shared this title idea with me one day. As for the music, it’s a segue track. A palette cleanser of sorts. I told Andrew Marlin I wanted something that foreshadowed the Booker Creek Ripple bridge. He had been experimenting with “triple stops” on the mandolin at home. He played the Booker Creek bridge using triple stops–that’s the heart of this track. There’s a field recording of Booker Creek in there. Also Jeff plays some twinkling piano.
Booker Creek Ripple – I’d say this is the tune that most sounds like it’s title. The verse is this looping, repetitive, meditative pattern. Then, in the B part, you get a tempo change, a move to a 6/8 feel, and some dissonance. I like how the accompanying instruments (banjo, mandolin, double bass) have space to shine on this one.
Giant Leopard Moth – This is the sole standard tuning song on the album. I was listening to alot of Chet Atkins when I wrote this one. I think there are traces of that influence here. I was invigorated by new beginnings when I wrote this one: my family was growing, I was approaching the guitar in new ways. The song feels optimistic to me. It brings back fond memories.
Simon’s Lullaby – When this song started coming together, it gave me confidence to write the rest of the album. I wrote it the week before Simon was born. Excitement and terror were flowing through me. I consider this song a gift from Simon. It’s a slice of hope. It’s a musical bridge between pre-fatherhood and now.
Eyes on the Moon – This one is my brother’s favorite. There’s a specific moment that inspired the title. I was holding Simon outside, at night. I was trying to get him to go to sleep. The moon was bright and full that night. His eyes were fixated on it. The intensity and interest in his eyes really touched me. It was one of those moments where you wish you knew what the other person was thinking.
–Josh Kimbrough
Slither, Soar & Disappear is out December 3rd on Worried Songs. Order the LP here.
