The tune “Loveliness” came to life through some twists and turns and eventually came to be one of my favorite songs, especially as part of our live set. This song features another stellar effort from Julian Allen, with a physical and hypnotic beat. Even still, it had been hard for me to imagine how the song would fully come to life. On that first day it contained only scratch vocals and a sparse Wurlitzer rhythm part. Seth Bernard laid down an electric guitar overdub some days after the original tracking- boy was I surprised… He had put down a honking, insistent guitar riff, drawing a dirty midrange tone out of his amp. I’ll be the first to admit I was skeptical, but then I started to hear how the part was holding together the track like a lynch pin. Later Seth Hendricks put down (I think) one of his most flowing, astonishing vocal deliveries on the album- my mind was blown!
When we got ready to tour the album we worked up arrangements for playing the record with a smaller band. I moved from mostly playing keyboards (as on the recordings) to playing almost exclusively electric guitar. This switch meant I learned to play, or approximate, the signature guitar parts put down by Seth Bernard and James Cornelison. I try my best to do justice to their amazing work. At the gig I am reminded of their creativity and inspired to dig deeper, especially when I am playing the guitar part on “Loveliness”. Thank you Seth Bernard! -David Hupp
*****
Fleeting yet timeless. Fate-full while full of intention. Intimate amidst the wide open. Contagious in its generosity. Grounding in its steadfastness. Love.
I remember being deeply moved during my Aunt Belinda Good's memorial service how amidst a grief-stricken family & community, love could resonate so profoundly, in gratitude and lasting, living legacy. One life, although way too short in years, continues to ripple out in infinite ways simple & profound. In the sharing of the stories, a collective challenge & accountability was birthed to live into that love in all of it's loveliness.
This was our charge as lyricists & musicians as we set to bring "Loveliness" to life...to capture a drive and sense of urgency but also to relax into a groove, as if falling into a long, unconditional loving embrace.
My wish for us all in these times of fear is to live with hearts courageously wide open, to seek & embrace the loveliness in ourselves and each other.
Special thanks to my dear cousin, Adam Good, for sharing this beautiful photograph. -Chris Good