The rare troubadour touches rock and roll with the depth and candor and scope of Anders Parker.
He entered the scene in the mid 90’s when a 4-track recording he made in his Portland, OR apartment, titled Man of Sin, got passed around. Doing it himself and his way and with the energy that album had to offer, Parker formed a band and began walking a trail that has defined his life. As the leader/songwriter/guitarist/multi-instrumentalist and under the moniker Varnaline, Parker toured, eventually released 5 albums under that name. Parker entered the indie lexicon.
As all things do, Varnaline ran its course, beginning phase two of Anders artistry, releasing albums under his own name. Tell It To The Dust and Anders Parker (s/t) set about to give air to Parkers unsettling need to explore genres, pushing forward his even more intensely weathered views on life and love. Skyscraper Crow is a double album exploring electronic instruments on one album, acoustic instrument on the other — dualities and double meanings, abstraction and fixed stars. With Cross Latitudes, Parker released his first fully instrumental album of electric guitar pieces. There’s A Bluebird In My Heart tracks back to formal songwriting veering from ballads to scorched earth rock.
Also in the mix and adding to his pedigree, a chance to put Woody Guthrie lyrics to music came around, resulting in New Multitudes. Alongside Jim James, Jay Farrar and Will Johnson (all tour mates individually, and as a collective) Parker soared on songs such as “Angels Blues” and “Old L.A.” and “Fly High” to great acclaim.
Not to belabor the many faces of Parker, yet to be mentioned also is a record of duets with Kendall Meade under the name Anders & Kendall. He was a member of the experimental rock band Space Needle. And he made an album of traditional folk songs with Jay Farrar under the moniker Gob Iron.
Today Glide is excited to announce Parker’s new album Wolf Reckoning, which is due out October 1st on Recorded & Freed Records. Along with the album announcement we are also sharing the music video for the album’s first single, “Wolves.” Beginning with a wash of synth, the song finds Parker immediately laying into a frenetically beautiful guitar solo. Mixing his own poppy yet gruff vocals with dreamy harmonies, the song injects an airy and infectious indie pop sound with a healthy dose of rock and roll guitar action alongside quickfire acoustic playing and drumming. Parker holds little back as he sings, “there’s beauty everywhere, you only have to look.” Ultimately, “Wolves” showcases Parker’s massive talent as both a guitarist and a songwriter, and if this song is any indication, we are in for a real treat with the new album. The song also showcases Parker’s fascination with what he coins “Hill Country Krautrock,” describing it as the relationship between Hill Country Blues and so called Krautrock” before going on to say, “In my mind they come from the same psychic root.”
WATCH:
3 Responses
Awesome soaring tune Anders! The beat gets my leg going like Joe Strummer’s (in slightly slower motion). You are always welcome to come back to Louisville and play in my dining room again. Take it easy friend. See you down the road.
Anders Parker began with Space Needle. Phase two was Varnaline. Phase three Anders Parker. Maybe there’s more but my recollection of AP begins with Voyager in 95’ and The Moray Eels Eat The Space Needle in 97’. Varnaline’s Man of Sin came after. The three create the holy fucking trinity that open the AP portal
Dig this new song and video. Don’t choke on the drone Anders. We need you.