Singer-songwriter Josh King gives C&I readers an exclusive first listen to his upcoming album, Into the Blue, out August 17.
Greensboro, North Carolina-based singer-songwriter Josh King — known as a local favorite from the groups House of Fools, the Ends, and Roseland — put his signature Americana guitar-rock ensemble to work for his new (and first) solo project, Into the Blue, available August 17.
Fans of his earlier work will welcome this 11-track album: It’s got King’s trademark twang, harmonies, and upbeat attitude, but what makes Into the Blue unique are its intimate lyrics, which draw you deep into the personal side of the artist.
Fueled by his contagious, confident attitude, Into the Blue delivers soul-strengthening tunes that can get you through a tough day. Album highlights include the opener, “Dreamer’s Dream”; the title track, “Into the Blue”; the slow jam “Waiting on the Sun”; and the high-energy closer, “Relax.”
Recently, we chatted with King about Into the Blue. And we’ve got have an exclusive first-listen, too.
Cowboys & Indians: This is your debut as a solo performer. How do these songs differ from the stuff you wrote as part of a band?
Josh King: My favorite thing to do when writing for a band is to finish the song, hand it over to the guys, and let them put their style and personalities into it. A lot of the time the song will turn out totally different than the way I originally heard while writing it. It’s always exciting to watch the process and then get to hear the final product! With Into the Blue, I tried to capture exactly what I heard the song being like while writing it. I wanted a shot at coming up with bass lines, keyboard parts, and production in this recording. It was a new experience for me, and I can’t wait to do it again.
C&I: Who and what were some influences when it came to writing the album?
King: I really wanted to record an album that had a little piece of every band that I’ve been involved with in the past 20 years in it. I’ve gone through a lot of stages in 20 years, so you can imagine the different styles of music that I’ve created and recorded. In a way, to me, this album was kind of an ode to all of my friends and bandmates that I’ve made music with.
C&I: Any funny or memorable stories from the writing and recording process?
King: The whole project was overseen by a cat named Emmylou Harris.
Get an exclusive first listen to King’s Into the Blue, below.
For more information on Josh King, visit his website. Photography: Courtesy Baby Robot Media.
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