Sprouted from a blend of American folk, country, rock-n-roll, and blues, Erik Koskinen and his top-shelf band realize a sound that is distinctive and fresh while familiar and classic. The Minnesota songsmith has just recently announced the June 28th release of Burning The Deal on Real Phonic Records/Tone Tree Music.
Koskinen’s albums are a lyrical and musical metaphor of America’s theaters of war, history, relationships, and reflections in the mirror. Burning The Deal was produced by Koskinen and Bernie Larsen (Melissa Etheridge, Jackson Browne) and recorded by Jason Mariani (Mumford & Sons, Kenny Loggins) at Brotheryn Studios in Ojai, CA.
Its nine tracks are marvels of understated subtlety; there’s a stripped-down, almost naked quality, but complexities lie just under their skin, waiting to be discovered.
“Bernie has been an influence of mine for twenty-five years. His experience in life and music and the studio and rhythm was huge. I got stronger influences from him having played with David Lindley as well as reggae legends Fully Fullwood and Santa Davis. They all have important knowledge of space. The old cliche reads, “it’s not what you put in, it’s what you leave out,” says Koskinen about his work with Larsen and others of high musical pedigree on Burning the Deal.
That pedigree can be attributed to top-notch players Koskinen recruited: the legendary Greg Leisz (Jackson Browne, Beck, Joni Mitchell, John Mayer) on lap and pedal steel and mandolin, plus the rhythm section of drummer Jay Bellarose and bassist Jennifer Condos (Marc Cohn, Ray Lamontagne). Larsen also plays electric guitar, and Hammond B3 on the album along with contributing backing vocals.
As for how he managed to gather them together Koskinen quips, “In the music biz, you’re always one person away from knowing the president.”
Koskinen has spent time in both the north and the south and his influences are both intermingled: “Well, I lived and played music in Nashville long before I lived in Minnesota but I’ve learned more what not to play than what to play by living in Tennessee and Minnesota.”
Glide is thrilled to premiere “Darlin'”(below) from Erik Koskinen a supercharged rocker that reflects of Love and Theft era Bob Dylan folklore and an early ZZ Top-style boogie. Koskinen describes the songs about an actual event. “Often I use metaphors or tell tall tales, maybe lie, stretch a story to make it a better song. Not this time, I just wrote the truth,” says the artist.
“As for his mix of country and folk, Koskinen bluntly explains: “I don’t see a place in country music without singer/songwriters. Just because some music on mainstream radio is from Nashville doesn’t mean it’s country. Real country music will always be storytellers and songwriters. No one can take that away.”
