PREMIERE | Spencer Cullum's 'Coin Collection'
Mind and spirit illuminating walks down nature’s paths with Spencer Cullum; photographed by Angelina Castillo.
Whenever a session musician, ghostwriter, associate to the stars and so forth moves from the background and wings to the pinnacle platform of center stage — something special often occurs. The folks that spend their time lending their talents to the orchestration of other's compositions bring a bastion of inspired elements to their own respective solo repertoire. The synergy of working with others, both well established or just starting out provides a vast wealth of influences and ideas that manifest themselves in the DNA of the artist that moves from a supporting role and into the emanating allure of the spotlight's incandescent lamp beam shine. These emergent luminaries seemingly arise out of the blue, known typically only to the artist’s artists and the like, taking on the top bills to take over our imaginations with extravagant aesthetic aural set pieces.
Nashville by way of Detroit, London expat Spencer Cullum has made a name as one of the most sought after pedal steel players in the world, currently embarking upon a solo yet collaborative journey. Much like the long cast specter and shadow of Cullum's forebear Sneaky Pete Kleinow; Spencer's tight twang and slide contributions can be heard in works ranging from Deer Tick, Kesha, to Miranda Lambert, Dolly Parton, his own work in the duo Steelism and more. Recorded by Jeremy Ferguson in the producer's Battle Tapes Recording studio in Nashville and complete with collaborations from artists like Caitlin Rose, Andrew Combs, Erin Rae, Annie Williams, James “Skyway Man” Wallace, Luke Reynolds and Sean Thompson — the artist emerges from the ensembles and assemblies with a new pop pastoral. Created with as an understated odyssey of trad fused epics of existentialism and human intimacy, welcome to world debut of Spencer Collum's Coin Collection via the imprint Full Time Hobby. The result is an organized assortment of polished pop pearls that glisten like the fancies found on 70s album rock wax, recalling the gentle giants, the spans of steel eyed fairport conventions and all arts that stand at the precipice of traditionally inspired artifices of the prog persuasion.
Coin Collection dearly departs from the station with the misty-eyed majesty of lionhearted lamentations and unlimited longing with the opener “Jack of Fools”. Put my heart to the test, oh lord I’m a mess, pulled my heart from my chest, one of life’s little tests, Cullum muses with sincerity in a warm cornucopia of chords that create a sentiment of sweet surrender in the face of loving and losing. The bird chirping charm of sunny day field sounds on "To Be Blinkered" tackles the edges of apathy on the topic of climate change and the threat of extinction by way of society's near-sightedness in the face of existential threats to our eco systems. "Tombre en Morceaux" showcases the eclectic ingenuity of Spencer's visions that displays a variety of musical motions across different movements that twists the timelines of modern pop marvels where the twentieth century tropes dazzle just as they did in the decades prior to today. The mesmerizing mystery of "Imminent Shadow" operates in expressive acoustic strums, delivering the story telling of a cryptic, secret sharer that ponders the passage of time and the spirits and thoughts that haunt us through our days with the passing of eras and seasons. “Shadows” feels like a short-story / novella from the 1800s come to life by way of song with a moody and atmospheric quality rife with a sense of the supernatural, organic, ethereal and strange.
Spencer Cullum curates a compendium of cleverly arranged tracks and cuts that create moods and vibes that stretch from shore to shore, from pastures, fields to lush, deciduous forests. Coastal affinities can be experienced on the ocean gazing serenity interlude of "Seaside" that eases gently into the motorik autobahn cruiser "Dieterich Buxtehude" that is reminiscent of an outtake from a 70s Neu! record. "The Dusty Floor" carefully arises from the ennui and indolence of the day and aspires upward in a baroque reach for the heavens with outstretched arms, eager eyes and hands open to receive interactions and acts of providence. The mellow lounge jazz of "My Protector" showcases a fusing of musical know-how, cascading scales that bridges aspects of academia with the tried, tested and true savoir faire of earned experience. Cullum and company complete the album's cycle with "The Tree" that basks in the natural glow of sunset, life reflections and a solitude that leaves you smiling amid a sparkly sky of woodwinds, harps and sparse chord strums that carries the audience to a twilight of happiness and hope. Coin Collection delights with a neat array of pop vignettes that takes inspirations from retro aesthetes and a sampler platter of anachronistic styles borrowed from the latter half of the 1900s surely to delight today’s audiences.
Observing the delicate transformation of autumn splendor with Spencer Cullum; photographed by Angelina Castillo.
Spencer Cullum provided some succinct insights to the creation of the new album:
The Coin Collection album came as a idea from years of working as a side musician pedal steel player and wanting to make a record of music that influenced and shaped me at a young age; from Brit prog giants to psych folk. It also gave me an opportunity to round up my favorite Nashville Musicians who shared the same musical endeavors as me.
Spencer Cullum's Coin Collection will be available September 24 via Full Time Hobby and everywhere.
The reflective pop world of Spencer Callum; photographed by Angelina Castillo.
Also behold the acoustic reverberations of trad treading forest trails and timeless tales with the bonus track "High on a Rocky Ledge", a duet with Erin Rae.
Artist Mark Neeley created an animated video for “Imminent Shadow”: