Gregor Alan Isakov was raised in Philadelphia and is now based in Colorado, but the sonically rich music he conceives doesn't sound like it's from any place in particular, except maybe the deep, dark soil of earth. It's an easy analogy to make, since Isakov has a glowing reputation both for his records, and as an organic farmer.
Farming by day and creating at night is the process that inspired Isakov's fourth album, Evening Machines, his first to be released with proper label support after years of releasing records on his own label. As host Larry Groce notes in his introduction, Evening Machines, is a beautifully textured record that rewards multiple listens.
In this Mountain Stage set, Isakov translates those textures with a band comprised of the core musicians who appear on the record: Steve Varney on banjo, Philip Parker on cello and keys, John Grigsby on bass, Jeb Bos on fiddle and Max Barcelow on drums.
"It's really cool to be on the radio in front of you guys. We don't get played on the radio very much," Isakov says between songs, adding that he's heard the band receives airplay in yoga studios. "I have a friend who runs a pre-school and she plays us during nap time," he noted, grinning.
The band attempted to close its set with fan favorite "Amsterdam" from 2013's The Weatherman, but the ample crowd in Morgantown, W.Va. applauded for an encore. Isakov and company returned to the stage and gathered around a single microphone for a rendering of "All Shades of Blue" which wasn't included in the radio broadcast.
Set List:
- "Southern Star"
- "Chemicals"
- "Time Will Tell"
- "Dark Dark Dark"
- "Too Far Away"
- "Amsterdam (from 2013's The Weatherman)"
- "All Shades of Blue"*
*Not included in the radio broadcast
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