The Texan singer-songwriter Darden Smith has announced his ambitious new multimedia project ‘Western Skies‘. Comprising a new studio record, a book of photography, lyrics, and essays, the project is an immersive journey through fact and fiction, inspired by the west Texas landscape. The album is due March 25th, while the book is available to purchase now.
“I wasn’t interested in making just another album,” says Smith of the work, “I was interested in pushing myself to places I’ve never been before. I was interested in getting way out past my comfort zone.“
This, his 15th album, comes after ‘Everything‘ was released in 2017. “I thought that that might be my last record,” Smith confesses. “I felt like 15 albums was maybe enough, and that would be that. But then I started going on these drives.“. Smith went on a series of solo odysseys from Austin to southern Arizona and back that would spark the entire ‘Western Skies’ project. Born out of necessity, his journeys began in early 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic made air travel a risky proposition, and Smith needed to get himself across nearly 1,000 miles of flatlands and desert for writing projects with veterans.
Tracklist:
1. Miles Between
2. Running Out of Time
3. Western Skies
4. I Can’t Explain
5. Not Tomorrow Yet
6. Turn The Other Cheek
7. Perfect For A Little While
8. The High Road
9. I Don’t Want to Dream Anymore
10. Hummingbird
2. Running Out of Time
3. Western Skies
4. I Can’t Explain
5. Not Tomorrow Yet
6. Turn The Other Cheek
7. Perfect For A Little While
8. The High Road
9. I Don’t Want to Dream Anymore
10. Hummingbird
‘Western Skies‘ is available on Vinyl, CD and via digital download in packages available with or without the accompanying book of photos and stories. The project can be preordered from the artist’s website, and the book can be bought in most bookshops or purchased directly here.
Americana UK has an interview with Darden coming soon, plus reviews of the “Native Skies” album and book.