Troubadour Phil Cook continues his journey with his second solo release, PEOPLE ARE MY DRUG, out June 1 on Psychic Hotline/Thirty Tigers. Today, Billboard premiered “Steampowered Blues,” the first track off the album. Cook reflects on the track:, ““Steampowered Blues” is the first song I wrote for PEOPLE ARE MY DRUG. I’ve long been drawn to the swing and swagger of New Orleans’ step rhythms. The left-right bass lines get my feet stepping, whereas the drums channel my hip movements and the weightless carefree melodies often coax my arms from my sides toward the sky. Lyrically, it’s playful in a way that I can get behind. Tamisha Waden and Chastity Brown’s vocal expressions are stunning. The payoff when Mountain Man enters at the end of the double-time chant makes me cheer every time. Within my mortal body and experience, this music is my church.”
PEOPLE ARE MY DRUG follows Cook’s first solo album, 2015’s aclaimed Southland Mission. Where Southland Mission illuminated for listeners what Phil Cook hears in his head, this record lays bare the way that music makes him feel. Pre-order PEOPLE ARE MY DRUG here.
With community as a driving force behind his musical mission, Cook has brought along various folks on this adventure. He enlisted brother Brad Cook as producer, along with his band The Guitarheels (comprised of drummer JT Bates, bassist Michael Libramento and pianist James Wallace). Cook and company recorded and mixed PAMD in both his home state of Wisconsin and his newly adopted home of North Carolina, finishing the record in ten days. The result is a spiritual tour de force, delivered from the gut with open arms. The composition of the record plays as a love letter to Phil’s greatest inspiration of all: People.
Cook crafted every track with reverence for each players’ artistic brilliance. He imagined vocalist Tamisha Waden (Foreign Exchange) soaring above “Steampowered Blues” and turned to collaborator Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso) to co-write “Miles Away”, a plainly honest song about the complexity of emotional proximity. While paying tribute to some of his New Orleans heroes in the song “Life,” Cook tapped Richmond’s No BS! Brass Band.
Cook has been involved in a number of projects, including psych-folk band Megafaun. He is a recording and touring member of Hiss Golden Messenger as well. He has collaborated with Indigo Girls’ Amy Ray, performed with Mavis Staples, been Musical Director for The Blind Boys of Alabama and much more over his evolving career. Southland Mission earned raves across the board, including Paste, The Bluegrass Situation, American Songwriter, Pitchfork, NPR’s World Cafe and others. His next run of dates begins in hs in Durham, NC at The Pinhook on April 7th. Additional dates are below and at philcookmusic.com.
Phil Cook on Tour:
4/7 Durham, NC – The Pinhook
6/8 Washington DC – Songbyrd
6/10 Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade
7/31 Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom*
8/1 San Francisco, CA – The Independent*
8/3-5 Happy Valley, OR – Pickathon
8/7-8 Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern*
* with Daniel Norgren
