March To August: "Hellbound" Video Premiere and Interview
An album released from March to August delivers a unique warmth in the form of roots folk and Americana tonalities that come through with heart and stories to tell.
The record features banjo as a main instrument and this is part of what gives it such a roots and rustic approach combined with beautiful bass tones and powerful vocals that take you on musical Journeys by way of telling these wonderful stories at times, with such detail that you can paint pictures in your head as the songs unfold.
The record is called Songs Inspired by Witness, and although it bears this warm and welcoming tonality, there are hints of edginess lurking just beneath the surface, and you get engulfed by the soundscape and aesthetic of what this album gives you.
This is a record that stays with you. It's also a record you should listen to all the way through from beginning to end, not just because these stories can connect at different times but mostly because it's meant to be heard as a full-length album.
The tonality of how the instrumentation works in combination with the vocals is outstanding because the textural dynamic between those elements brings out such a unique sound and form that you end up getting sucked into this record right from the get-go.
Now, the deeper into the record you listen, the more you start hearing other kinds of influences as well.
Songs like "Lenora's Dance", for example, are just beautiful instrumentals that perform a melody and songwriting Arrangement that doesn't sound like the tracks before it.
Some of these tracks end up being more impactful than others. For each listener, different songs will hit them harder than others, and for me, it's the songs that feel more like ballads that hit the hardest.
There's a song called "Only The River", which is more of a ballad and performed with such robust and passionate vocals that it almost gave me goosebumps at times.
Again, this is also due to that combination of the banjo and the texture of the vocals.
Just to be clear, this is a male and female duo, and both sing on the record. With "Only The River", it's the female vocalist Jodi doing the vocal performance. It's something that creates a wonderful atmosphere that you can feel emotion from.
The other vocalist and banjo performer is Derrick, and his vocals have a thicker, more rustic, classic, and robust approach, which also works well for ballads, but they work wonders when it comes to those vintage Americana-feeling tracks as well.
This was a unique record that does have a perfect aesthetic and reaches into some of the best elements of roots folk music, and again, with this rustic tonality that unless you get engulfed and then eventually washed away with how everything sounds.
Throughout it all, it's the lyrics of that can get you. They do in detail stories let you join in on this descriptive and almost cinematic musical Journey.
It's been quite some time since I've heard a record like this one, and it's so genuine that, again, it just has a way of staying with you long after it's ended.
The acoustic instrumentation is smooth in its tone but full-bodied in its performance. Vocals follow suit, so you have a record with layers, depth, stories, and emotion, and along with that comes a lot of character.
This is part of the beauty of the album. It's oozing with character, and this is something you find yourself getting attached to as you listen.
The performances and energy are very particular in the sense that it feels like it's all done live on the floor. The whole thing feels in the moment, and the recordings are of actual live performances.
Now, I wasn't there for the recording, of course, so I can't be 100% sure but, if you watch a lot of their videos, you can see that they are actual live performances and the sound is exactly as it is on the record so the whole aesthetic and feel of this album gives you a very personal and one-on-one sensation.
It has a unique way of putting you there in the moment with them.
The video premiere for the song "Hellbound" is a perfect example of exactly what I mean.
With the release of such a beautifully woven record, we wanted to have a chat with the duo to find out where this all came from and what's coming next.
Here's what happened.
TSWS: Hello Derrick and Jodi and thanks for taking some time with us!
Thank you so much for having us! We are so grateful for all you do to support original music artists.
TSWS: I'd Love to start with the Songs Inspired By Witness album! This record has such a lush array of beautiful instrumentation and great storytelling! Where did this record come from?
About nine years ago we read the historical fiction novel “Witness” by Karen Heese. The book was set in a small town in Vermont during Prohibition. The story was so powerful, and we were so inspired by the characters, we began writing one song, then another and eventually we had written an entire album of songs that were character sketches, extending the story or giving a voice to those that didn’t have a voice in the book.
TSWS: I am hearing some soulful Americana tonalities on the album. Who are some of your biggest musical influences?
Wow that is a hard one! Our musical influences are so diverse. We listen to many genres of music. As songwriters, Jason Isbell, Mumford and Sons, Billy Strings, Sturgill Simpson and Molly Tuttle are some of our biggest current influences. Throughout the years our listening has ebbed and flowed. If you look historically, I would say early influences for us are Dan Fogelberg, John Denver and then progressing to U2, Cure, Gin Blossoms, Sinead O’Connor, Allion Crouse and Union Station, Nickel Creek, The Chicks, Sarah McLaughlin and so many more amazing artists that we revere.
TSWS: How did March to August begin? Where did it all start for you guys?
I (Derrick) started writing in the early 1990’s and performing as a solo artist and marketing songs as a writer. After many a frustrating trip to Nashville, I stepped away from music for life and family for many years. I started songwriting again around 2010 and begin to play some open mics and songwriters events. Then in 2015 we were sitting around the kitchen table with our daughter who jokingly said, “We could form a band.” So we formed “Route 358” and performed together until 2022 when Jade (our daughter) stepped away from music. Jodi and I then reformatted into the duo that is now “March to August.” 358 stood for our birth months, 3-Derrick; 5-Jade; 8-Jodi so to pay tribute the “3" became “March" and “8" became “August” to honor our roots. But March to August also has a greater meaning as it also pays tribute to the many of the significant “marches” that have taken place throughout history between the months of March and August.
TSWS: Are you performing live or touring right now?
Yes! We are playing venues, events and festivals as part of our “Every Juke Joint” tour in support of the new album.
The songs and lyrics are so detailed at times. You really paint a picture with these songs. Did this take you long to write and release?
This album was eight years in the making, and is a concept album where all of the songs are purposefully interrelated and sequenced to tell a story. Reynard Alexander in the book "Witness" was the town newspaper editor. During the Prohibition era, newspaper editors were referred to as “scribblers” so we felt taking on the persona of Reynard as the narrator in writing and telling the story of this album was the perfect fit. He was “reporting the truth” in the novel, so we sought to present this story, extend the message and take a look at how this book set in the 1920’s could also reflect current day issues especially the idea of a divisive society on human rights issues - civil rights - body autonomy, etc.
TSWS: The new video for Hellbound is a live setting. Do you guys record a lot of the songs live on the floor?
We do! One of our beliefs is that you shouldn’t release a recording or video that you couldn’t replicate live. When you see us live or in a video you are seeing and hearing a song that was recorded live without overdubs or additional instrumentation. All of our songs for the record were recorded live as well, as this video for “Hellhound.” Of course, we added some images to help tell the story but we love performing live and interacting with our audiences and cherish so many of the wonderful people we meet and have met on this journey.
TSWS: Who are you each listening to right now?
In December when our album released we had a song placed on the Spotify curated playlist “New Grass.” Thinking we were more Folk than Bluegrass, it has been great to get a chance to be introduced and listen to so many great artists on this list. Also, as we begin work on our next album which will be more Americana focused project, we continue to migrate to the great artists in this genre that we love. We are so excited to hear the new albums from Mumford and Sons and Allison Krauss and Union Station and of course Jason Isbell releasing a solo album. These artists are all long time favorites for us.
TSWS: What are you doing when you're not making music?
When we’re not making music, we’re usually thinking about making music, maintaining social media, our website, booking shows, marketing, etc. Ha! This is kind of how the gig works as an independent artist, but we love every minute of it! Also getting a chance to get together with friends and family and going to see other artists who are playing shows and touring. Jodi and I are both working on learning to play new instruments. Jodi is picking up steel guitar and I (Derrick) am working on mandolin and harmonica. By the way, playing harmonica and guitar at the same time is not as easy as it looks.
TSWS: Now that this record and video is out there, what's next for you?
We are currently on our “Every Juke Joint” tour promoting the album. Also we have really grown to love writing concept albums like “Songs Inspired by Witness” and are in the process of writing our next project that we are thinking will release sometime in 2026.
TSWS: Do you guys write the songs together?
We do write together. Jodi is such a wordsmith. I (Derrick) will put together a song and melody and she is so good at helping to find the right word to say what we are trying to say or also say “that doesn’t make sense.” We also spend a great deal of time collaborating on arrangements, putting together how the song will flow instrumentally for the final product.
TSWS: What would you say is your favorite aspect of doing what you do?
Definitely performing and touring live and meeting so many amazing people and seeing places that we would never have seen without music. We are so grateful to get the privilege of doing what we do and to all of our “fan-ily” that travel along this journey with us.
TSWS: Before we go, what would you like to express to listeners and fans?
I think the biggest thing is to go out and support live original music. There are so many amazing writers and performers out there sharing their art in communities everywhere.
