September 2018

This month’s ROTM was Gregory Alan Isakov’s first full length album in half a decade, “Evening Machines.” This exclusive feature was pressed on limited edition pure white vinyl—only from our club!

As its name implies, the dark indie rock and folk populating Evening Machines possesses a dusky hue. Hushed acoustic guitar and sparse piano combine for a moody foundation that’s amplified by ornate and heavy embellishments.

This month’s box also came with a note from our curator, Drew Holcomb.

Did you miss this month’s record? We have few left in overstock.

From the curator, Drew Holcomb…

In a world full of noise, cheap thrills, and imitations, some artists are able to swim against the current and make work that will stand the test of time. They do this by letting the music marinate and age like a fine Cabernet Sauvignon. Songwriter/Farmer Gregory Alan Isakov has made a career of making music at his own pace, and his new album Evening Machines is five years in the making. Just like his farming, he has spent those years harvesting songs and sounds and emotions and releasing a whole and beautiful album. 

Recording in a barn on his farm in Denver, Isakov’s sound is organic and cosmic at the same time. His wordsmithing is quick, incisive, and no words are wasted. Universal loss of love, search of self and the hunt for human connection are the connective tissue in this record. “You saw her bathing in the creek, now you’re jealous of the water,” and “I’m a ghost of you, you’re a ghost of me” show his deliberate use of language. He doesn’t offer easy answers, only solidarity. The sonic palette is reminiscent of Bon Iver, Nick Drake and masters of delicacy. 

I met Gregory in January of 2018 on Cayamo, a floating music festival in the Caribbean alongside John Prine, Brandi Carlile and other legends of yesterday and today. Gregory’s was one of the first shows I saw and the room was pin drop quiet, as if we had entered a vision of honesty, beauty and sanctuary. He tours all over the world to adoring fans, including regular sold out visits to his home town cathedral, Red Rocks. This album will be on rotation for years to come in my house and in my soul. Enjoy it. 

-Drew Holcomb