This week we joined in the studio with some incredibly authentic Americana musicians, The Touchy Feelys! Their latest record Breakup Songs about Staying Together is available now! Andrea Dawn Courts and Jason Trout — collectively known as The Touchy Feelys — are incredible songwriters and vocalists. The ability to create meaningful songs about the pressures, pushes and pulls of relationships and make those feelings understood within a prism of release for each listener is a rare talent. To call these songs evocative is to give a slender acknowledgement to the portent captured in this record. Produced, engineered and mixed by The Wizard Patrick Himes at Reel Love Studios in Dayton, Ohio, this record captures a raw authentic feel when two voices collide together around a swirl of guitars, drums, upright bass, piano and more. Our good friend Mr. Himes did incredible duty on this record! Patrick contributed drums, guitar, piano, organ, banjo, mandolin, omnichord, xylophone, vibraphone and pedal steel. Yeah, he helped out a little. But no matter the brilliant cacophony, without excellent songwriting and emotional singing, even the best of intentions would fall flat. We are happy to say that is not the situation here. These songs are the real deal.

Whether Andrea Dawn or Jason take the lead, there is an inescapable realization that these songs come from a genuine and authoritative vision. The best moments for me are when they sing together complimenting their individual strengths. Andrea Dawn has voice that draws from great roots voices of the past yet turns her phrasing around into something quite modern and relatable. Jason sings each song as if it is to be the last song he ever sings. These songs should be heard. Any fans of country, folk, Americana and roots music would be well served to give this album a passionate listen. Standouts on the record for us at YTAA include the driving ‘Hard Time,’ the rollicking “If You Weren’t My Lover,” the propulsive “Left Me Lonely” and the pensive “On High Lullaby.”

We are looking forward to speaking with them this week in the studio! Join us from 3-6pm on Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative on WUDR Flyer Radio.