Excited to announce Cottonwood is officially out now! You can find the album on streaming platforms everywhere, and as a download in Dolby Atmos on ImmersiveAudioAlbum.com.
As I worked on this new album, there are three main themes that kept coming up in the songs. These ideas were really at the heart of what I wanted to explore on this record.
The struggle to find meaning and purpose: A lot of the tracks on Cottonwood are about trying to figure out your place in the world and what you're meant to be doing. In songs like "10,000 Hours" and "Bucket List," I'm grappling with that feeling of putting in all this time and effort, but still searching for that sense of fulfillment or direction. There's this line in "10,000 Hours" that sums it up: Why is it taking so long? I should have had everything by now.
Isolation and loneliness: Another big theme on the album is this sense of being alone and cut off from other people. You can hear it in tracks like "Am I Ok" and "Don't Say a Word," where I'm talking about being trapped in your own head and feeling like you can't connect with anyone. There's a line in "Am I Ok" that really captures it: It's been so long since I've talked to a human being, forgot what it's like.
The danger of lies and deception: Throughout the album, there's also this recurring idea of being misled or deceived by others. In the title track "Cottonwood," I mention this drifter who comes to town "selling lies" and claiming "truth is everything." And in "Devil in Disguise," I'm talking about being taken advantage of by someone you trusted. It's all about how easy it is to be led astray when you're vulnerable.
These themes of searching for purpose, dealing with isolation, and being wary of deception are all central to Cottonwood. I think they're struggles and experiences that a lot of people go through, especially in tough times.
My hope is that by exploring these ideas in my music, it might help folks feel less alone and more understood.
That's the power of songwriting, isn’t it? To connect us through our shared human experiences.
Hope you enjoy the album.
