Nearly sixty years after the release of the International Submarine Band’s Safe at Home, the album continues to inspire generations of musicians. Gram Parsons’ initial foray into pure country was a radical shift for the ISB, marking a turning point that would define the Cosmic American Music movement. His love of hard country shines through in Safe at Home’s wide selection of country classics, and now, a new generation is paying tribute to its legacy.
Christian Parker and Patrick Cleary—two artists deeply influenced by Safe at Home and Sweetheart of the Rodeo—have joined forces to create American Cosmic Revival, Vol. 1: Back At Home. Due out June 7th, this full-length tribute album brings together an extraordinary cast, including Safe at Home’s original pianist, Earl Poole Ball, and legendary pedal steel guitarist, JayDee Maness.
Back At Home carefully recreates and reimagines Safe at Home’s beloved tracklist, offering faithful renditions while incorporating fresh arrangements and new harmonies.
The collaboration with Earl Poole Ball and JayDee Maness makes Back At Home a truly special project. Unlike typical tribute albums, this record unites two musicians who played on the original Safe at Home, allowing them to revisit and reinvent their contributions nearly six decades later.
For fans of Cosmic American Music, California country, and the enduring legacy of Gram Parsons, Back At Home is both a tribute and a revival. As Gram Parsons once set out to blend country and rock in a way that felt genuine and soulful, Parker and Cleary continue that mission, honoring the past while looking toward the future.
American Cosmic Revival, Vol. 1: Back At Home isn’t just a tribute—it’s a homecoming. It celebrates a legacy, rekindles the spirit of Safe at Home, and stands as a testament to the enduring power of Cosmic American Music.
Today, Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of “Blue Eyes,” a song that captures the optimism and heart of the original, channeling the Bakersfield sound of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. This version of the song stays mostly faithful to the original with its bright and twangy pedal steel, vocals that feel like they are channeling Gram Parsons, and laid-back saloon-style band dynamic. For anyone who is even casually a fan of this music, this rendition is sure to get you feeling nostalgic for this great era in music.
Patrick Cleary describes the inspiration behind recording the tune “Blue Eyes”:
This is the first song that Patrick Cleary heard from the Safe at Home album more than twenty years ago, and it hooked him for life! He was astonished by how well it fit into the West Coast country tradition established by Bakersfield pioneers like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. Cleary feels it’s one of the best happy country songs, expressing the redemptive qualities of love, despite life’s hang-ups. There is a stubborn optimism despite the world-weary tone of the lyrics. With love and a “big old quilt to keep us warm,” anything is possible.
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