Pharis and Jason Romero have announced the release of a new album ‘Bet On Love’ which is described as “a modern folk ode – to sentimental anchorings and to relationships between place, people and time”. Recorded in Pharis & Jason’s banjo shop outside Horsefly, British Columbia, with the help of producer Marc Jenkins (the duo’s 2018 Juno-winning ‘Sweet Old Religion’ producer) and sound engineer John Raham, the album is quite literally homegrown.The songs come from the world the Romeros live in and the lifestyle they have chosen to lead, focused on balance, simplicity and intention (approaches held reverently by an entire culture of folk music nerds). Add in a bustling boutique banjo business and the raising of two young children with the busy life of active musicians, and the balancing act itself becomes an art form.
The title track from the album features Pharis’ most personal writing, and this intimacy reverberates throughout the record. Their second collection of all-original songs, producer Marc Jenkins describes the album as “the sound of songwriters, known more for telling the stories of others, turning inwards. The new record brings us all closer to the real Pharis and Jason. They’re talking about self-love and new hopes for lonely societies. They’re questioning how honest we are with ourselves – are the stories we live the ones we tell to others?”
John Reischman on mandolin and Patrick Metzger on bass complete the rootsy, alive-off-the-floor feeling. Two tracks were released yesterday as the first single – ‘New Day’ and ‘We All Fall’ (which you can listen to below) in advance of the album’s official UK launch on June 1st. Look out for a review nearer its release date here on AUK.
