Photo by Brett Robbins
Some Knives is Collin Herring‘s fifth studio effort, yet it’s his first in nearly five years. “This album has been done for a lot longer than it seems,” the Texas singer-songwriter admits. “Most of the process was coordinating dates and small sessions here and there. Producer and drummer Matt Pence (Centro-matic) was able to hear the demos and the rest was just making it happen. We liked working with Matt and after some discussion about the initial recordings, it was a no brainer that he was going to mix this record as well. We didn’t want anything lost in translation on this project.”
Herring & Pence were joined in the studio with Jeremy Hull on bass and the singer-songwriter’s father, Ben Roi Herring, on keyboards, pedal steel and backing vocals. “I like that the credits on this album are short. I like small groups,” Herring states. “There was no ‘that sounded good’ and then re-recording it at a later date. We all just played our parts.”
One of the underlying influences of the album occurred unintentionally during the sessions. As Herring explains, “During the recording process my Dad got cancer and beat it (Remission). Good surgeon and good cannabis oil. There was a point when Dad was laying down the pedal steel on one of the songs that I had to go outside and take a walk. It was emotional. While he was recording he looked up at me with this look on his face that told me his entire story. A look that said this is for you. This note. All these notes. All these bends. Everything that’s weaving around. This is life and it’s not over yet.”
“We kept the health stuff to ourselves but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it had some impact. Most of the recording was done when we found out but I still feel like, every now and then, that some of the emotional shadows crept onto the recordings.”
Some Knives is, in fact, an emotional ride, yet it’s a beautiful trip not only shrouded with dark corners, doubt and fear, but also dappled with light and a shimmering sense of hope throughout. These 11 moving tracks, that stylistically traverse through rock, alt.country and even touches of psychedelia, should prove what regional Texas press has already been hailing as both “the torchbearer for alt.country” and “the next big thing.”
Collin Herring’s Some Knives will be available on CD & digital formats on May 13th. Spring/summer U.S tour dates to be announced soon.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PREMIERE OF COLLIN HERRING’S NEW TRACK “KICKED AROUND” VIA CMT EDGE!
