Episode 148: David Lowery Interview

Your Political Beats hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) get the opportunity to spend a little more time with singer/songwriter/bandleader/advocate/professor David Lowery (@DavidCLowery)

Now-frequent (two times is frequent, right?) Political Beats guest David Lowery returns to the show to talk about his magnificent new solo record Fathers, Sons and Brothers.

For those unaware, David is the founder of Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker as well as a long-time advocate for artists' rights. He also serves as Senior Lecturer in Music Business at the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. David previously joined us for more than three hours to discuss the music created by both of his bands -- the original version is here and the remastered version (higher audio quality and additional song clips) is right here -- so we don't spend time at all reviewing that content. The new album is good enough that it deserves its own place in the sun.

As David himself describes Fathers, Sons and Brothers, "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." It tells the story of his life, career, and loved ones. The songs are deeply affecting and carry a somewhat unexpected emotional heft. The closing kick -- "Vending Machine," '"Fathers, Sons, and Brothers," "Yonder Distant Shore," "Darken Your Door," "Giving Tree Father" -- is just one gut punch after another when you realize the stories being told. It’s all just further evidence that Lowery is peerless among his generation's songwriters and deserves even more acclaim than he has received.

During this conversation, we spend time trying to define the sound of the new record (we suggest an extension of Gram Parsons's "Cosmic American Music" idea), the backstories behind a few of the songs, how the album’s narrative took shape and propels the record forward, and where he finds his joy these days in performing live music. There's even a question about religion buried in here.

If you love CVB, you'll love this album. If you love Cracker, you'll love this album. If you love Political Beats, well, we're pretty sure you'll love this album. Many of the songs are cinematic in their scope; you literally can picture these scenes playing out in your mind. These tracks are elevated by spending time with the lyric sheet and appreciating the nuances and care taken in the storytelling. 

Be sure to check out David and Cracker (full band and solo dates) live through the rest of the summer. He indicated a more extensive slate of dates supporting Fathers, Sons and Brothers could be on the way this fall. If you’re out and about, you might see Scot at any Detroit-area show and Jeff at any Chicago-area shows. These songs certainly deserve to be seen live.