Josh Fortenbery’s latest song, a favourite in his live shows, explores how frustrating behaviours can become habitual or second nature. ‘Nobody is Pleased’ features gorgeous, swirling pedal steel from Erik Clampitt and dreamy harmony backing vocals from Kennedy Jo Kruchoski and Taylor Dallas Vidic, over Todd Vierra’s gently compelling rhythms. However, it is Fortenbery’s distinctive, characterful voice that grabs your attention and keeps you absorbed.
The accompanying video, directed by David Rossow, is a tongue-in-cheek look at understanding our mistakes and shortcomings, but continuing to accept these patterns of behaviour anyway. Fortenbery says: “I wanted to make a video imagining what it would be like if someone was immune to the inspiration of The Muses — if they trailed behind an anxious, depressed shut-in rather than a Greek hero or poet.”
This is the latest single from Fortenbery’s second album, “Tidy Memorial”, which will be released on 10th October. The new songs continue to reflect society’s flaws and to focus on anxieties that listeners can relate to. Fortenbery’s adopted home town of Juneau, Alaska, is situated between the ocean and an ice field. In this remote environment, recording is a challenging DIY endeavour. Co-producer Justin Smith transported Fortenbery’s boutique mics and handmade analogue studio equipment on a truck and constructed a mobile studio in a house and in a hotel that was closed for the winter. Fortenbery notes: “What we didn’t know ahead of time was that the heat was barely working and the weekend we were recording would be in the single digits. We ended up setting up space heaters to keep the room above 50 degrees, but it was definitely challenging to keep our fingers warm while we played.”
Fortenbery’s sound has evolved from the more traditional folk and bluegrass of his last release. As well as the music, his lyrical narratives and themes have moved on. He says, “I think the last album was really introspective from top to bottom. I’m always going to be a somewhat introspective lyricist, mostly because I know my life experiences are all subjective, and I struggle to write from any other perspective. But this album is a bit more outward-looking at times, and each track mourns something. I’m grappling not only with personal loss but also the way in which the world is moving on and breaking down.” Look out for the new album – it promises to be an engaging, atmospheric listen.
