New Music for Reuniting

Leading off with “These Songs,” the Dellas express the worry, uncertainty, and reluctant longing for a romantic memory of gritty tour life. Known for their revelatory power and force as a live touring band, it is no wonder that Della Mae is eager to return to the road.

The first single releasing in advance with the album announcement is “Ride Away." Very loosely inspired by Richard Thompson’s song “Vincent Black Lightening,” it is was written by Woodsmith in 2018, and performed on tour and as part of Della Mae’s last festival set prior to the pandemic at WinterWonderGrass Steamboat Springs.

Particularly prescient is "The Way It Was Before,” written by Woodsmith with Mark Erelli, stands as a call to action - to not forget what we’ve learned, to not become complacent, or in a slip-of-the-tongue express a wish to go back to old days. While the melody and arrangement carries a sound that harkens back to earlier days, the lyrics juxtaposed declare a new future, a new chapter, a new world rich and primed for change, and the need for personal responsibility.

"The Way It Was Before captures the importance of listening to each other’s stories -- not just for shared experience but also holding space to empathize with other people’s struggles that may be very different from anything we can imagine ourselves. We have to understand each other before we can move toward a world where we truly embrace our common humanity." - Avril Smith

While most tracks on the record are up-tempo and rollicking, as many expect from Della Mae, the album reflects as complex a mixture of emotion present in the human condition as has been unearthed the past year. A new original song “Goodbye My Friend/Waltz for Lois” is a direct and honest anthem for loss, mourning, and memorial.

"I wrote the waltz in honor of my grandmother, Lois, after she passed away over a decade ago. This year we collaborated to put words to the melody that explore a different kind of loss. Celia wrote the first verse about losing a friend, not knowing the original inspiration for the melody. There are many songs about romantic heartbreak but we wanted to explore the pain of a relationship ending with a close friend or family member." - Kimber Ludiker

Mixed in with the 6 new originals, Della Mae nods to their heroes and influences with new covers of songs by bluegrass greats John Hartford (“You Don’t Have To Do That)” and Hazel Dickens (“A Few Old Memories”), and songwriters Gillian Welch and David Rawlings (“Dry Town”).

"A Few Old Memories is a tribute to the pioneering feminist songwriter and singer, Hazel Dickens who wrote many timeless songs about the lives of working people struggling to make ends meet as well as many beautiful songs about love and loss -- all from a woman’s perspective, something that was in short supply for too long in the bluegrass tradition." - Avril Smith

< Go Back