Would you guess that one of the most compelling albums of 2016 comes from a singer-songwriter from the tiny Northeast Oregon town of Enterprise? This bearded character by the name of Bart Budwig has accomplished that with his new album The Moon And Other Things, coming on May 27th, which we are delighted to premiere on Glide Magazine today.
The young troubadour has crafted a selection of songs that are at once introspective and philosophical, and it’s only appropriate that the first tune on the record is a twangy little number called “Damn Good Start”. This song harks back to early 70’s country-rock with its loping, laid back gallop and light-hearted tone, not to mention a bit of saloon piano. Even though Bart Budwig doesn’t immediately strike you as the outlaw type – perhaps a bit more sensitive – he establishes his presence as someone on the edge of the daily bullshit society demands. He’s also not afraid to write a love song, as we see on “Cigarettes From Grace” and the gorgeous, intimate duet “Sleep Elena”. But throughout the record we are presented with a songwriter as capable of conjuring images of small town dreams as he is of more rambling, stream-of-conscious storytelling like on “Sarah Roll Down My Window”.
Budwig sums up the album as a whole, saying, “Life is beautiful and tragic. Beauty comes from tragedy. When you’re at home you wish you were somewhere different. When you’re on the road you wish you were home. After a listen through I’d like people to feel hope. And like they had some fun.”
To make it all happen Budwig and his talented band set up shop at the historical OK Theatre in his town of Enterprise, OR.
“Three microphones were used to record the rhythm section, acoustic guitar and vocals live to a 4 track tape machine (built in the 70s) in the OK Theatre in Enterprise OR (built in 1918),” says Budwig.
The resulting album is truly a thing of beauty.
Listen to Bart Budwig’s The Moon And Other Things:
Bart Budwig releases The Moon And Other Things on May 27th.
For music, tour dates and more info check out bartbudwig.com.
