Folk/pop singer-songwriter Glen Philips leaves the comforts of home and blasts off into space on new E.P. and U.S. tour to reveal The Secrets of the New Explorers beginning February 7 in Colorado. The E.P. is available online at http://www.glenphillips.com and e-tailers iTunes, Rhapsody and exclusively at shows.
While space travel may seem too far in the future for some, it was on the mind of Glen Phillips and friend John Askew when they spent five days recording in November 2007.
"We spent the first day completely stuck, and then I asked John what he was currently interested in. He said, ‘Private Space travel.’ I had been reading articles recently about the X Prize, Robert Bigelow and the birth of the age of space tourism and thought it sounded like a great idea."
While the album theme was deliberate, the music and recording was spontaneous. "So, off we went writing in the studio as it was recorded. The initial tracks of "Return to Me," "They’ll Find Me," and "Space Elevator" were put together in a period of four days. We just picked up whatever instrument we felt like playing, and one of us would record the other. After John left, I did the vocals, more overdubs, and mixed the record. The other three songs I recorded and performed myself."
After his departure from the 90’s alt/pop success Toad The Wet Sprocket, Phillips made his solo debut in 2001 with Abulum. His subsequent solo releases Winter Pays For Summer (2005) and Mr. Lemons (2006) were met with critical praise. Frets Magazine called Mr. Lemons "…one of the best pieces of music I have heard in years."
And Harp Magazine raves, "Mr. Lemons is by turns languid and life-affirming and may well stand as Phillips’ most affecting and powerful solo work to date."
In 2004, Phillips collaborated with friends / fellow musicians Sean and Sarah Watkins of Nickel Creek for The Mutual Admiration Society and released a self-titled disc in 2004.
In 2008, Phillips formed a new supergroup octet tentatively named The Scrolls with his Nicklecreek cohorts Sean Watkins (guitar) and Sara Watkins (fiddle), pianist Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers), fiddler Luke Bulla, multi-instrumentalist Greg Leisz, drummer Pete Thomas (Elvis Costello & The Attractions), and bassist Davey Faragher (Imposters, Cracker). The group plans to have an album out by fall of this year.
The Secrets of the New Explorers is Phillips fourth solo release.
Glen Phillips solo acoustic tour stops in the following cities:
February 7 CARBONDALE, CO Steve’s Guitar
February 8 GRAND JUNCTION, CO Far East Center
February 9 FT COLLINS, CO Avogadro’s Number
February 10 BOULDER, CO Fox Theater
February 15 SAN DIEGO, CA Acoustic Music San Diego
February 16 LOS ANGELES, CA McCabe’s Guitar
February 17 BERKELEY, CA Freight & Salvage
February 18 REDWOOD CITY, CA Little Fox
February 20 ASHLAND, OR The Mobius
February 21 EUGENE, OR WOW Hall
February 22 PORTLAND, OR Aladdin Theater
February 23 SEATTLE, WA Triple Door
March 26 BOSTON, MA Club Passim (2 shows; 7 & 10)
March 27 LONDONDERRY, NH Tupelo Music Hall
March 28 HARTFORD, CT Wilde Auditorium
March 29 NEW YORK, NY Joe’s Pub (2 shows; 7 & 9:30)
March 30 EASTON, MD The Avalon Theater
April 2 VIENNA, VA Jammin Java
April 3 PHILADELPHIA, PA World Café Live
April 4 PITTSBURGH, PA Club Café (2 shows; 7 &10:30)
April 5 BRIGHTON, MI Brighton Center for the Arts
April 6 NEWPORT, KY South Gate House
April 8 GRAND RAPIDS, MI The Photography Room
April 9 INDIANAPOLIS, IN The Music Mill
April 10 MADISON, WI High Noon Saloon
April 11 CHICAGO, IL Old Town School of Folk (2 shows)
April 12 MILWAUKEE, WI Shank Hall
April 13 MINNEAPOLIS, MN Cedar Cultural Center
April 14 DES MOINES, IA Civic Center of Des Moines
April 17 KANSAS CITY, MO Crosstown Station
More dates to be announced…
