Birmingham, Alabama singer-songwriter Joel Madison Blount keeps his musical foot in the world of rock and his lyrical foot in the realm of Southern literary authors. Blount has always been on a mission to write music that captures the human experience, offering hope and inspiring the listener to sing out loud. If you’ve spent even a minute following the news cycle in the last year, then an artist like Blount should come as a welcome reprieve. His sound marries folk, Americana, and indie rock into something that is entirely his own.
On September 29th Blount will release his new full-length album Our New Moon. The songs on the album were written in response to the birth of Blount’s first child and represent a new beginning for his growing family. “A new moon marks the start of the first phase of Earth’s moon during the course of the lunar cycle,” says Blount, “and it also alludes to the mystery surrounding what we will encounter on our journey ahead, as neither are visible from our perspective.”
Our New Moon represents a new phase of life for Blount, his artistic career, and his family. Themes on the album wind their way through a time of sorrow and brokenness, but ultimately lead the listener to witness redemption and an outpouring of grace.
Today Glide Magazine is premiering the lyrical video “Beauty That Remains”, a heartfelt piece of Americana with sweeping harmonies and beautifully sparse instrumentation. It’s a slow song that wields a heavy emotional power both in terms of the lyrics and the culmination of the chorus, bringing to mind acts like U2 and Glen Hansard at their most tender. Watch the video and read our chat with Blount below…
What inspired you to write this song? The bio says this song “calls upon the listener to reflect upon the beauty of life in spite of personal shortcomings and failures.” Were you dealing with some of your own shortcomings and failures at the time you wrote these? What specifically among them felt like it needed a song?
I struggled with the decision to leave my previous career as an accountant for 13 years before finally working up the guts to change course and pursue music full time. Leaving the security of accounting was the most emotionally arduous decision I’ve made, but having the time to focus all my attention on making music has always been my dream – I had big plans and high hopes. Then BAM, everything was turned upside down 2 weeks after I resigned from my job when my wife and I learned we were going to become parents. Now, instead of pursuing my dream of making music, it looked more like I’d be spending the next few years as a stay-at-home dad. There’s nothing like having a child to make you realize very quickly how self-centered you really are. I didn’t react well to this turn of events, but thankfully my wife (and family) have shown me a lot of grace. Having a child has been a challenging, yet joyful experience – and even though things haven’t worked out like I planned, I’ve still had the opportunity to continue making music. For me, this song speaks of my desire to become a better version of myself – for the sake of my wife and my kids. We’re all flawed human beings and we live in a depraved world, but there is hope for us all. A good place to start is by striving to love each other more than we love ourselves.
What was it like working on this one in the studio? Got any great stories about how this one came together? Did it turn out like you imagined it would before you went into the studio?
I had a clear idea of how I wanted to pursue this song in the studio, but when everything came together it still surprised me in many ways. The intro chords make me think of opening my eyes after a long sleep and the transition to each chorus feels like I’m lifting my head after a long climb to witness an incredible view. I love how the electric guitars work together throughout the choruses, delicately weaving an intricate web that grows and grows. The ending blossoms anthemically and feels totally cathartic. For me, the feel of the music ended up mirroring many of the ideas I tried to communicate through the lyrics – to see something familiar from a new perspective and gain a new appreciation for its beauty.
You spoke above this a little bit already. I think this song feels very full, yet the bio says you limited it to a four-piece band in the studio. Were you going for this fullness, this epic-ness, when you started the recording process and how did you achieve it?
I think the background vocal parts sung by Josh Vigneulle and Ashley Spurling give the listener the sense that a choir joins in toward the end of the song. Other than that, it was just arranged very nicely by Brian T. Murphy and mixed well by Chris Steffen.
What was it like to work with Brian T. Murphy? What do you think he “brought out of you” in the recording process?
I invited Brian to collaborate with me on this album after working closely with him on the last War Jacket album. I’d never worked with a producer before doing the War Jacket album. In the past I’ve had more of a DIY mentality, mainly because I was trying to learn, through trial and error, the basics of songwriting and recording. Brian has an incredible work ethic, he’s an incredible musician with a great ear, and he has a way of making people comfortable in the studio. I felt like I could be completely honest with him, without fear of judgement, and I have great respect for his opinion and insight. It’s easy to get lost in the weeds as a songwriter after spending weeks or months trying to perfect a lyric, melody, or arrangement, and Brian helped me stay focused on the important elements of each song so that we could present them in the best light.
Who are your biggest music inspirations and influences?
Bill Withers, Mark Kozelek, Glen Hansard
This video is like a scrapbook of images. Which of these images are personal ones of yours and why did you choose to use them? Who did this video for you?
Many of the songs featured on my new album, Our New Moon, were inspired by the sorrow my wife and I experienced in losing our former selves and the joy of discovering new life together as a family. I asked Jordan Mahy (video producer) to create a visual landscape for “Beauty That Remains,” and he suggested including some personal images and video clips to make it feel a bit like a family scrapbook. There are several images of my family throughout, including a clip of my son learning to walk and him singing me a song. My wife cried the first time she saw the video, so it definitely hit the right chord for us personally.
The end of the clip is a montage of people, as well as images from space, which gives a distinct impression of how we’re all part of a global whole and a universal whole. Was that your intent? What did you hope this clip would convey to viewers?
Seeing the Earth from space can help re-frame the view we have of our own significance. These images were taken during the Apollo Missions, which helped unite our country, and our world together in pursuit of a common goal – sending man to the moon. This exemplifies what can occur when we work together for good – the greatest technological achievement in human history. Imagine what we could achieve if all our efforts were focused on loving each other more than ourselves. It has been said that our lives are insignificant, in the grand scheme – that we are like vapors that appear, then vanish away. This may be true, but I believe life can be incredibly meaningful and beautiful in every moment that we place the needs of others above our own.
Joel Madison Blount releases Our New Moon on September 29th. For more music and info visit joelmadisonblount.com.
Photo credit: Jared Ragland
