Saturday, January 25, 2014

BOSTON'S GIRLS GUNS AND GLORY HONORS THE ROOTS OF ROCK & ROLL ON 'GOOD LUCK'




Boston Music Awards' Act of the Year Set to Release Fifth Album in February

10-Track Set Features “All The Way Up To Heaven,”
Co-Written With Alt-Country Pioneer Jimmy Ryan

         (BOSTON, Mass.) For the past eight years, Boston's rising stars Girls Guns and Glory have been making a name for themselves through relentless touring (about 200 gigs a year worldwide), the release of four critically acclaimed records, a slew of local awards, including being the Boston Music Awards first act of its genre to win Act of the Year, and international awards (Independent Artist of the Year at the French Country Music Awards).  And, now, the hard-working band is refining their focus to the roots of rock 'n' roll with a twist of country on their fifth album, "Good Luck," due on February 4, 2014 on Lonesome Day Records.

         The foursome (Ward Hayden on vocals/guitar, Paul Dilley on electric and upright bass/piano, Josh Kiggans on drums/percussion, and Chris Hersch on lead guitar/banjo) found inspiration for this record from early '50s rock 'n' roll icons such as Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, and Buddy Holly, as well as country greats like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash.

         “Good Luck” looks back to that era of music for a more rock ‘n’ roll-focused record that kicks off with the heartfelt, feel-good rocker "All the Way Up To Heaven," which sets the tone for the album thematically. "It's about finally winning in love and feeling that thrill of getting something good and having a true appreciation of it," says the singer.

         Co-written with Jimmy Ryan (Blood Oranges), “All the Way Up To Heaven,” is one of the three songs that Hayden did not singularly craft.  He notes, “Jimmy Ryan has long been one of my favorite songwriters. He's got a gold tooth, a taste for whiskey and is possibly the best left-handed mandolin player on the planet. Which is part of what makes his songwriting so special. He doesn't try to get fancy or get flashy with technical intricacies. As a songwriter he exemplifies three chords and the truth. Like Hemingway with a mandolin. He boils a song down to its bare bones, to where you can see and feel the grit. I think that makes him great. He serves the song from its inception.”

         The other songs were written over the past two years with the exception of two, "Shake Like Jello" and "UUU," which have been in the band's repertoire for about four years. "We never really had a place for those songs because we were viewing ourselves more of a country band than a rock 'n' roll band and those two songs are definitely more rocking. They fit perfectly on this album," he notes. 

         Another song close to GGG's heart and the band's Northeast roots is the ballad "Centralia, PA." "Chris and Paul are originally from Eastern Pennsylvania and we tour a lot in that area. We found out about this coal-mining town there called Centralia that was destroyed by a coal fire over 50 years ago. It's a ghost town now because it's unfit to live in. I became fascinated by the tragic story of the town and we kind of wanted to put Centralia back on the map with this song," he says.

        Produced by Eric "Roscoe" Ambel (Nils Lofgren, Steve Earle, The Bottle Rockets), "Good Luck" was mixed by Ambel and recorded by Mario Viele at Cowboy Technical Services Recording Rig in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and will be available on CD, vinyl and iTunes on February 4, 2014 via Lonesome Day Records. The band is up for Americana Artist of the Year the 2013 Boston Music Awards and Ward Hayden is up for Male Vocalist of the Year. And, Girls Guns and Glory is currently on the road...as usual!

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