Small shy shoes, a big coffee pot, Clint from the comment section

Hi Buddies,

I recently misread someone’s email sign off as saying “Spring is coming in small shy shoes”, an image that keeps sticking in my mind: Spring putting on the smallest, most inconspicuous little shoes and stepping around us very carefully. There she goes!

This month I went on tour with Zach Good, one of my oldest and best friends. I played music from this record, which (for me) is full of tenderness and humor — two feelings I can use more of these days. Zach and I had, unsurprisingly, a lot of fun. We ate very well and hiked a lot and saw a bog and an ancient mound and coffee pot:

Zach is one of the few people I never tire of being around — he’s funny and kind and surprising, always up for an adventure, knows when to take me seriously and when to make fun of me. He’s also one of the best musicians I know, and it was a pleasure to hear him play night after night.

I also released BODY SOUND, a record with Whitney Johnson and Macie Stewart (here and here are some kind and interesting words about it). We had the new-to-me pleasure of listening to it in community a few times this month, via listening parties online and at The Land School. I’m more proud of this music than anything I’ve made in a long time; a pride that feels sweeter and simpler because the work is so completely collaborative, I almost feel like I didn’t make it. Listening to the record I still feel such undiluted astonishment that we made this thing in real time, crafting harmonies and textures together out of the pure energy of listening carefully to each other.

You can hear the record now if you buy it (online/LP/CD), or on April 7th if you stream it. We’re gearing up for A LOT of touring, so please do come hear us in real life if you can. And if you’re in Chicago, the album release show is May 7th at Constellation!

a few shows:

4.4 Honestly Same at Judson and Moore, Chicago (a rare appearance! two sets!)

Trio tour with Whitney Johnson and Macie Stewart:
4.22 Pittsburgh PA: Mattress Factory
4.23 East Meredith NY: West Kortright Center
4.24 New York, NY with Makaya McCraven: 92nd Street Y
4.25 Cooper Hewitt Listening Session
4.26 Philadelphia PA: First Unitarian Church
4.27 Baltimore MD: 2640 Space
4.28 Kingston, NY: Tubby’s
4.29 Portland ME: Washington Baths
4.30 Brattleboro VT: Epsilon Spires
Early warning:
5.1 North Adams MA: Tourists Welcome
5.2 Brooklyn NY: Long Play Festival
5.7 ALBUM RELEASE SHOW: Chicago, IL Constellation

tiny recommendations:

1. Txa Txa Club is my new favorite Chicago all day cafe. I’ve only been once but I’m trying to become a regular.

2. Extra Stars, Greg Uhlmann’s lovely new record and Sunwise, Brìghde Chaimbeul’s astonishing bagpipe record.

3. Road recs: Wolf Rocks trailhead in Pennsylvania, Picnic in Philadelphia (go for happy hour oysters), Sardarji da dhaba (an excellent Indian food truck off of I-80), the restaurant at Public Records in Brooklyn.

4. This carrot orange cake, which N and I made two days in a row (as usual, with BRM gluten free 1-1 flour, works great).

   

5. Monarch Thrift Shop in Avondale, where I finally found the loafers of my dreams.

6. This exceptional fish.

7. Not a recommendation but a series of ratings: the Finnair hold music (before someone picks up) - 5 stars. The British Airways hold music - 3 stars. The Finnair hold music (after someone picks up) - 1 star. Hit me up if you are a contractor for hold music composers. I’ve spent about 5 hours on hold in the past two weeks and I think I could do a great job.

I’m aware the world is darker and darker. It’s hard (impossible?) to know what to do with that as an artist, as an American, as a human. I feel mostly helpless. In a world (and especially a country) set on rendering human life meaningless and human lives as disposable, art is a balm, my friend Damon says, and I know he doesn’t mean it lightly. A small but bright balm: peace work for peace.

In love and solidarity!

that’s all for now,

Lia