As Dustbowl Revival reaches the milestone of playing together for nearly a decade, the group can’t keep that maturation from seeping into their music. Their latest single, “Dreaming”, is reflective of not only their ever-evolving approach to American roots music but also the ongoing questioning of what it means to achieve one’s dreams.
The song’s poignant lyrics mingle with the melancholic strumming of an acoustic guitar and downbeat horn section to create a kind of joyful sadness. As the first line of “what if you got everything you ever wanted,” comes through the speaker, it’s difficult not to mull over the trajectory of one’s own life and how getting what you want might actually be the last thing you’d ever want. The chorus then raises the overarching question of consciousness with the refrain “somebody tell me I’m dreaming/and this feeling ain’t gonna last.”
Listen to Dustbowl Revival’s latest single “Dreaming” below.
Dustbowl Revival – “Dreaming”
[Video: Dustbowl Revival]
On their forthcoming album Is It You, Is It Me, out January 31st via Thirty Tigers, band members Z. Lupetin, Liz Beebe, Josh Heffernan, Matt Rubin, Ulf Bjorlin, and Connor Vance continue their trademark search for where folk, funk, bluegrass, and pre-war blues meet. The album is already getting attention before its release, as Rolling Stone featured the LP’s first single, “Mirror”, on its list of 10 Americana Songs To Hear Right Now. Meanwhile, the band’s live performances are also reaping them a well-deserved amount of attention as they were voted Best Live Band by LA Weekly, as well as leaving lasting impressions on fans with memorable sets at festivals like Mountain Jam and BottleRock.
“I feel like we grew up for real on this record,” Lupetin said. “Both as musicians who have come of age on the road together as a kind of accidental family – and as collaborators making music even we don’t know how to describe or pin down. It’s exciting and a bit terrifying.”
Creating the album brought about its own challenges that forced the growth Lupetin mentions. The band saw the departure of co-writer/mandolin player Daniel Mark, who co-wrote several of the songs on Is It You, Is It Me, and bassist James Klopfleisch, who was replaced by Yosmel Montejo on the record. Additionally, the album’s 13 tracks were recorded in a flash two-week studio session at the suggestion of producer Sam Kassirer.
Dustbowl Revival will embark on a cross-country tour in promotion of Is It You, Is It Me. Check out a full list of dates below, and head to their website for tickets.