After a self-imposed hiatus to focus on raising his daughter and exploring writing and filmmaking, Josh Joplin returns to rock with GpYr (Gap Year), due out April 4th via NarrowMoat/Missing Piece Records. This album not only marks a new chapter in his career but also reflects the personal and artistic evolution that began with his 2023 album, Figure Drawing.
As always, Joplin is joined by the Josh Joplin Group, a decades-long collective of musicians whose chemistry adds depth and nuance to his work. Their collaborative shorthand, honed over years of shared experiences, shines on GpYr. The album’s sonic landscapes seamlessly shift between introspective moments and sweeping cinematic arrangements, blending Joplin’s sharp storytelling with the group’s intricate, genre-defying musicianship. The result is an album that feels both intimate and expansive—at once a photo album of memories and a concept record exploring an autofictionalized version of Joplin’s real-life experiences.
Produced by Joplin and Grammy-winning producer Lorenzo Wolff, known for his work on Taylor Swift’s Midnights and Folklore, GpYr captures the raw vitality of a live session with meticulous attention to texture and detail. Wolff’s production enhances Joplin’s vision, infusing the record with vibrant energy while allowing its emotional core to resonate. The result is a collection of songs that are deeply personal yet universally relatable, driven by Joplin’s trademark pop hooks and lyrical depth.
With GpYr, Joplin turns his gaze firmly toward the future. The album represents both a return to his roots and a leap forward. “After stepping away for so long, I wanted to create something meaningful—a chronicle that feels deeply connected to my life,” he explains. “GpYr is that album.”
Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the standout track “One More Someone,” a richly orchestral work of folk-pop that offers a glimpse into Joplin’s songwriting craftsmanship. The lyrics are deep and vivid in an almost literary sense, accompanied by Joplin’s emotionally stirring vocals and a layered soundtrack of keys, strings, and the subtle snarl of an electric guitar. There is a comforting feeling to this song that makes it resonate long after listening.
Joplin describes the inspiration behind the tune:
“One More Someone,” recalls a vital trip to New England to liberate a friend from a rehab facility while the counselors and orderlies slept. The conversations kids have in a stolen car about life, and the quietude that descends when the sensation of getting caught subsides. It’s the realization that their successful jail-break means they must all go their separate ways when they reach their destination.The auto-fictionalized drive back is the moment when possibilities assemble in the mind and the long waltz into adulthood begins.
LISTEN:
