In October of ‘22, a recording session became a band in Arlyn Studio, Austin, Texas. Drummer Jimmy Paxson was finishing a leg of his world tour with The Chicks at Austin City Limits Festival. Jimmy was in contact with Jason Mozersky, his Grammy award-winning guitar player and bandmate from Ben Harper. Jason discussed with Kyle Crusham, producer for Paul Simon and Edie Brickell, getting together to do some recording and lastly, songwriter and indie rock musician Noah Lit (Oliver Future, Noah and the MegaFauna) was added to the mix. With the band in place, they looked to Noah, now a restaurateur in Austin, and way, way out of the music business, to write some tunes. “The band was ready to rock, and they looked at me and said, ok Noah, go write some songs” explains Noah. Never one to back away from a challenge, Noah dug deep into his musical former self, wood-shedded, and pulled 13 songs out of the ether that became the self-titled album GRACKLES, which is due out March 29th.
The music leans heavily into Noah and Jason’s many years in Austin. Dark blues rhumba with country ballads. Singer-songwriter aesthetics meet blazing guitar solos and danceable 12-bar tunes. Hammond B3 drives the vintage guitars, and Beatles-esque 12-string Rickenbackers, while string sections sweep above in Roy Orbison arrangements. Noah leans into a deeper, lower register croon and growl. Part Leonard Cohen, part snarling dog, the lyrics flow like shoal creek over limestone. Guest vocals by Kat Edmonson and Lauren Harris, add ethereal chords, and full-throated whimsy.
The live band is an 8-piece country, rock, blues explosion. Their sold-out first show at the iconic Antone’s, downtown Austin brought echoes of old Austin into a new updated package. Like a classic car with a Tesla Engine, Grackles is all that is Austin, through a thoroughly modern lens.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the standout track “It’s Coming to Ya,” a moody work of Americana-noir that feels like a soundtrack for cruising along a dark desert road or perhaps dancing slowly in a dimly lit lounge. The band layers in groove-laden blues guitar to complement the smoky vocals and a feisty groove, making for something that feels somewhere between Chris Isaak, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and The Handsome Family. We also get a healthy dose of surf rock guitar soloing to add a more lively element to this soulful work.
Noah Lit describes the inspiration process behind the song:
“I knew I wanted a record that started with a galloping bluesy beat a la JJ Cale. I hoped it would set the stage for everything to come. The real sonic mood came with Jason’s (Mozersky) tone-down Les Paul riff in the intro. It helped us establish where we were going. Joe’s Hammond organ playing drives and pushes and adds a Sorpraons (opening song) vibe to the whole thing to me.“
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