On Wednesday night, a capacity crowd gathered in Denver’s Meow Wolf Convergence Station, to watch Colorado’s jam-grass stalwarts Yonder Mountain String Band celebrate the release of their new album, Get Yourself Outside, with help from Buffalo Commons. Check out a gallery of photos from the album release show at the bottom of this page via photographer Elliot Siff.
The group performed the new material with renewed fervor more than two decades on from its inception. Get Yourself Outside, out now on Frog Pad Records, marks the first Yonder album for recently added member Nick Piccininni, who joins the founding members—guitarist Adam Aijala, bassist Ben Kaufmann, and banjoist Dave Johnston—and fiddler Allie Kral, who joined the band in 2015.
Recorded during the pandemic-imposed pause in touring at Cinder Sound Studio in Gunbarrel, Colorado and co-produced with engineer John McVey, Get Yourself Outside is a winding road filled with string melodies and sonic textures. “We want the listener to get outside of your own head, get outside the box or container that you’ve created around yourself—look outside and see what else is out there,” said bassist Ben Kaufmann.
What started out as back-and-forth online interactions between the band members soon shifted into YMSB entering Cinder Sound after several months apart. “We knew we had to take greater advantage of our time off the road. So, we started to collaborate and realized we had all of these songs,” Kaufmann said. “It was kind of a trick to figure out how to get together and record safely. But, we’re glad that we did and what came from it.” Added Aijala, “Some of the song ideas were older. But, a lot of the ideas happened during the pandemic.”
“There’s a blessing to this life to be able to play music for a living,” noted Kauffman. “Get Yourself Outside is a testament to that, which is why it’s been such a joy to finally play these songs live.”
Listen to Get Yourself Outside, the new album from Yonder Mountain String Band, on the platform of your choice here or stream it the player below.
Yonder Mountain String Band – Get Yourself Outside – Full Album
Yonder Mountain String Band will stay busy on the road throughout the spring. Click below for a list of upcoming tour dates. For tickets, head to the band’s website.
