The Freeway Jubilee’s evocative blend of gospel-tinged southern rock and hard-driving soulful grooves is met with a flare of psychedelic mountain music and a strong dedication to the craft of the song. The band will independently release their new album On The Horizon Vol. 1 on November 12th.
Performing live, The Freeway balances well-structured tunes with a jam ethos that lends a raw and explorative power to the music. Their heartfelt lyrics weave imagery through a tasteful layering of vibrant 4-part vocal harmonies, crisp Telecaster licks, smoky saxophone riffs, and an eclectic assortment of organ/piano arrangements, creating a soundscape that is both musically intricate and soulfully energetic. Rest that on the groove of a unique and driving rhythm section, and you are sure to feel the magnetic force of this band.
The band formed in Asheville, NC in 2015 and is made up of a collective of songwriters. The Freeway Jubilee is twin brothers, both vocalists, Adam and Jonathan Clayton on keys and guitar, respectively, along with singer and bass player Kenny Crowley, blazing bari and tenor saxophonist Hunter Parker, and the John Bonham-style drumming of Cartwright Brandon.
Produced by Kenny Crowley and The Freeway Jubilee, On The Horizon Vol.1 was recorded mostly at the band’s home studio in Asheville, NC, mixed by Robin Applewood and Kyle Brone, and mastered by Justin Weis at trakworx.com [Sammy Hagar, Papa Roach, The Polish Ambassador, NOFX].
Today Glide is excited to premiere the funky, groovy “Sunlight Stream,” a standout track that turns up the heat with the additions of Dr. Bacon’s Michael Crawford on harmonica and Myles Dunder on alto and tenor sax as well as Jacob Bruner on trombone. Right out of the gate, the band lays down a funky groove that is only heightened by the presence of brass. Channeling the Southern laid back rock of Little Feat alongside New Orleans R&B and greasy blues, the song is a testament to this crazy pandemic-laden world we have all dealt with over the last year and change. Plenty of solos shine courtesy of the slide guitar and saxophone, but the band also shows they aren’t afraid to lock into a psychedelic groove that signals this song’s role as a jam vehicle in the live setting. Penned by Crowley on a solo camping trip in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the song speaks of a divine communion with nature restoring a hopeful outlook at a time when the state of humanity seems to be unraveling and perilous.
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Photo credit: Nick and Chelsea Anderson
