It's been a busy spring, and we are finally migrating to our new site.  We're still finishing up some spackle and paint and unpacking boxes, so to speak, but we think we're going to be happy in our new home.

Birdsong At Morning has begun work on their follow-up to the collection Annals of My Glass House.

In late July of 2012, Alan, Greg, and Darleen recorded seven songs with long-time friend and collaborator, drummer Ben Wittman, at Woolly Mammoth Sound, engineered by the wonderful and wondrous David Minehan.

The tracks are sounding fantastic, with an energy that points the band in a new musical direction. There are no plans for a release date, but, the band will continue to work on the project, letting the music take its course.

Alan joins author Andre Dubus III and photographer Arno Minkkennen in a lively discussion and demonstration of intellectual property and the creative arts.  Held as part of an ongoing series commemorating Charles Dickens and his visit in 1842 to Lowell, Massachusetts, the presentation took place on April 5, 2012 at UMass Lowell, where all three panelists serve as professors. A video of the event is now available, and includes Alan performing his cover of Blondie's "Dreaming" as well as one of his original compositions, "Softly, Like an Amen" from the Birdsong repertoire.

http://library.uml.edu/media/campusvoices/intellectualproperty.html

Brilliant musician and sweetheart of a guy John McGann passed away unexpectedly on April 6, 2012. In addition to his stunning list of accomplishments, John sat in with us for the concert now released as our Sanctuary DVD. His presence was a significant factor in making the evening such a special experience. John's death is a tragic loss for the community of musicians that loved him and for the world at large. Our thoughts go out to his family. We deeply mourn his passing.

10/11/2011

Sanctuary
Blue Gentian Records
Released October 11, 2011

Birdsong At Morning is proud to announce the release of the concert DVD, Sanctuary. Filmed on March 18, 2011 this DVD includes stunning performances of 15 songs from the release celebration for Annals of My Glass House.

The expanded ensemble really brings Annals to life! Alan, Greg and Darleen are joined by Ben Wittman on drums, Jerry Leake on percussion, John McGann on mandolin and electric guitar, and our resident string quartet: Marissa Licata, Stephanie Skor, Helen Sherrah-Davies, and Javier Cabellero.

Gearwire's Patrick Ogle talks to Darleen about her Gretsch 1961 Clipper, and to Greg about his 1966 Harmony bass.

Annals of My Glass House
on Blue Gentian Records

Here's what they're saying about Annals of My Glass House:

"Imagine if you will, a remarkable convergence of lush, patient music and intriguing poeticism performed with conviction and grace "-Songwriter's Monthly
 

"Simple and direct, carrying with it the breadth and depth of the kind of observation only an acute student of the world around him can deliver. " BMI MusicWorld 

This deluxe box setincludes remasters of the band's four recordings Bound,Heavens, Vigil, andLumens, with a beautiful 48-page book featuring lyrics and photos, with illuminating essays by leader Alan Williams.

Is your favorite radio station playing Birdsong At Morning? We'd really appreciate it if you call them up and request us!  If you don't see your favorite station on the list below,  contact us and we’ll make sure to send them our music. Thanks, and keep listening!

Stations across the US are playing cuts from Lumens. If you live in any of these cities, check out these stations.  Call and request something from Birdsong At Morning!

KUNM - Albuquerque, NM     |    KNBA - Anchorage, AK      |    KMUN - Astoria, OR 

WHFC - Baltimore, MD     |    WRKF - Baton Rouge, LA     |    WBWC - Berea, OH

KWNJ - Bettendorf, IA     |    WERU - Blue Hill, ME     |    WUMB - Boston, MA

WBGU - Bowling Green, OH     |    KDNK - Carbondale, CO     |    KUNI - Cedar Falls, IA

KSER - Everett, WA     |    KAXE - Grand Rapids, MN     |    KUNC - Greeley, CO

KRNN - Juneau, AK     |    KRVS-Lafayette, LA     |    KMSU - Mankato, MN

WESU - Middletown, CT     |    WMSE - Milwaukee, WI     |    WMKY - Morehead, KY

WFUV - New York, NY     |    KVNF - Paonia, CO     |    WXPN - Philadelphia, PA

WYEP - Pittsburgh, PA     |    WGDR Plainfield, VT     |    KBOO - Portland, OR

WVKR - Poughkeepsie, NY     |    WITR - Rochester, NY     |    WVIA - Scranton, PA

WNCW - Spindale, NC     |    KCLC - St. Charles, MO     |    KOTO - Telluride, CO

KXCI - Tucson, AZ     |    WPRK - Winter Park, FL

Lumens on Blue Gentian Records
Release date: Oct. 19, 2010

With their earlier recordingsBound, Heavens, and Vigil, heard on more than 50 stations across the country, New England-based chamber-pop ensemble Birdsong At Morning is proud to announce the release of their irresistibly catchy, radio-friendly fourth album entitled Lumens, on Blue Gentian Records.

Contrasting the darker mood of the band's previous release,Lumens lightens the tone and quickens the heartbeat. Opening track "Velvet Indigo," features a chorus that lifts the spirits like clouds parting after a rainstorm. "Can't Help Myself" pulses with new wave energy, filtered through a string quartet, culminating in a sing-along chorus. "Heartland" recalls the ethereal colors of Heavens and Vigil, in a moving tale of longing and stasis. "Never Make Me Cry" is a cover from Fleetwood Mac's oft-overlooked album Tusk, given the delicate Birdsong At Morning treatment.  Middle Eastern and African drums, capped by Zeppelin-esque Arabic strings, propel the fourth track "Light," a prayer to our better natures. The album catches its breath with "Morning Glory," an ode to the power of the new day dawning.Lumens concludes with long-time set closer, "Catch Me," an upbeat and unapologetic embrace of the blatantly romantic.

The cover image is a detail from "Cupid's Pencil of Light" a photograph taken by Julia Margaret Cameron in 1871.

Alan and Darleen joined old friend Dar Williams for two shows at her two-day residency at the Club Passim in Cambridge, MA.

Is your favorite radio station playing Birdsong At Morning? We'd really appreciate it if you call them up and request us!  If you don't see your favorite station on the list below,  contact us and we’ll make sure to send them our music. Thanks, and keep listening!

47 stations across the US are playing cuts from Vigil. If you live in any of these cities, check out these stations.  Call and request something from Birdsong At Morning!

HPPR - Amarillo, TX     |    KNBA - Anchorage, AK     |    WHFC - Baltimore, MD

WRKF - Baton Rouge, LA     |    KPFA - Berkeley, CA     |    WMBR - Boston, MA 

WUMB - Boston, MA     |    WZBC - Boston, MA     |     WBGU - Bowling Green, OH

KGLT - Bozeman, MT     |    KDNK - Carbondale, CO     |    KUNI - Cedar Falls, IA

WKSU - Cleveland, OH     |    KKXT - Dallas, TX     |    WXDU - Durham, NC 

KSER - Everette, WA     |    KAXE - Grand Rapids, IA     |    KUNCGreeley, CO 

KPFT - Houston, TX     |    KRVS - Lafayette, LA     |    KPFK - Los Angeles, CA

WFPK - Louisville, KY     |    WORT - Madison, WI      |    WMSE - Milwaukee, WI

KZMU - Moab, UT     |    KVMR - Nevada City, CA     |    WBAI - New York, NY

WFUV - New York, NY     |    WHRV - Norfolk, VA     |    WXPN - Philadelphia, PA

WYEP - Pittsburgh, PA     |    KBOO - Portland, OR     |    WSCA - Portsmouth, NH

WITR - Rochester, NY     |    KRCB - Rohnert Park, CA     |    KSCU - Santa Clara, CA

KZSC - Santa Cruz, CA     |    WUIS - Springfield, IL     |    WVGN - St Thomas, VI

KDHX - St. Louis, MO     |    WAER - Syracuse, NY     |    WMNF - Tampa, FL 

KXCI - Tucson, AZ     |    WRRW - Virginia Beach, VA     |    WCUR - West Chester, PA

WVIA - Wilkes Barre/Scranton, PA     |    WKHS - Worton, MD 

Vigil on Blue Gentian Records
Release date: March 23, 2010

The newest recording from acoustic music ensemble Birdsong At Morning, expands the sound established by their prior releases, Bound andHeavens. Vigil is the third installment in the band's four-part series to be completed later this year.

With Vigil, Birdsong At Morning offers six meditations on the passing of time and the nature of solitude. Infused with the atmosphere of a muted 3am epiphany, Vigil features detailed and evocative arrangements coupled with delicately powerful performances. Though the themes are somber, the music is far from morose, with achingly beautiful sounds hinting of the light of day just over the horizon. Another chapter in the saga, and a welcome addition to the band's catalog, Vigil deepens with time.

"Numbered Days" examines transitory relationships and self-imposed isolation with a catchy-despite-itself chorus.

Inspired in equal measure by Robert Capa's iconic photograph of a soldier from the Spanish civil war, Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain, and a quote from Aaron Copland, "Softly, Like An Amen" finds its narrator summoning the spirit of his romantic partner in the last breath before death.

Continuing the band's tradition of reworking outside material from unlikely sources, "Matte Kudasai" (Japanese for "a moment, please") comes from King Crimson circa 1980.

The unforgiving persistence of memory, and the desire to rewrite it, frames the songs "The Heart That Failed" and "So Near."

The record closes with "Au Revoir," a clear-eyed farewell to longstanding relationships—family, friend, lover.

The cover image for Vigil continues to draw upon the work of 19th century photographer Julia Margaret Cameron whose staged composition entitled, "The Three Marys" perfectly conveys the mood of the record – quiet, contemplative, yet slightly on edge.

Editor's Pick

Birdsong at Morning
Thursday, Mar 18 at 7pm
at Lily Pad, Cambridge, MA

The passing of time and the nature of solitude are heavy topics, but in the hands of acoustic music ensemble Birdsong at Morning, six meditations on their soon-to-be-released CD, "Vigil," see the light at the end of a dark tunnel. Alan Williams, Darleen Wilson, and Greg Porter make an appearance on Patty Larkin's new release, and at this gig, the trio welcomes a string quartet with ties to the New England Conservatory. The concert supports this third of four installments.
– June Wulff, The Boston Globe

Vigil selected as this week's A-List CD on HPPR's High Plains Morning show, where each day, various tracks from the album is being featured on the program.

Quote from the feature on their website:

Alan Williams continues taking us along on his musical journey, this time with more hauntingly stark, less-is-more, acoustic songs which seem tailor-made for a rainy Spring afternoon here on the High Plains.  The lineup remains basically the same, with William's long-time gal-pal, Darleen Wilson on guitar & vocals and his musical partner Greg Porter, on Bass & vocals.  The result is 6 songs which feel like 1 statement on the nature of time, solitude and discovery!

High Plains Public Radio (HPPR) is the primary public radio for the High Plains region of western Kansas, eastern Colorado, and the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles. HPPR offers a daily service of news, music and information.

Birdsong At Morning is among a stellar cadre of collaborators on Patty Larkin's new release, 25. a career retrospective featuring brand new, stripped down recordings from her songbook. Each track features Patty in duet with a veritable who's who of singer-songwriters, including Bruce Cockburn, Dar Williams, Jonatha Brooke, and a bevy of Grammy winners – Shawn Colvin, Suzanne Vega, Rosanne Cash, and Janis Ian – among others. Birdsong At Morning is honored to have been asked to contribute, and thrilled to be in such good company. Her new record, 25, hits the stores March 9.

"Home" is the first song I wrote after the events of 9/11, and it was new and raw when I recorded it on Red=Luck. I invited my old friends of the new Birdsong At Morning to join me on Home because their music is both timeless and timely. Alan, Darleen and Greg have created gorgeous arrangements on their recordings, and they have woven a beautiful piece here, a finely crafted tapestry from a not so distant memory.  - Patty Larkin

Heavens was selected as this week's A-List CD on HPPR's High Plains Morning show, where each day, various tracks from the album is being featured on the program.

Quote from the feature on their website:

If you love a good underdog story, a tale of those who have given up what they love most only to rediscover it later in life and pursue it with unbridled enthusiasm, then you’re going to love Birdsong At Morning!  Oh, and the songs are simply outstanding.   Ethereal, mournful, occasionally mysterious and always inspirational, this EP will leave you wanting more from Birdsong At Morning!

High Plains Public Radio (HPPR) is the primary public radio for the High Plains region of western Kansas, eastern Colorado, and the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles. HPPR offers a daily service of news, music and information.

Birdsong At Morning was named Best New Artist of 2009 (along with Paper Bird) by the listeners of KUNC.

Heavens
On Blue Gentian Records
 

Each song on Heavens contains some variation on a celestial theme. The lead-off track "Astronomy," explores the idea of peering into the universe as a day job. In "Light In The Window" the narrator sees himself in a vanishing star. "Clean" describes the sky-is-falling trauma of a man in crisis. The gorgeous "Adrift," evokes the beauty and calm terror of losing oneself 'out beyond the stars.' "Mystery," celebrates the elusive, from space to God. Heavens concludes with a delicate casting of the Rolling Stones' "Moonlight Mile."

Heavens, the second release from acoustic music ensemble Birdsong At Morning, was made with many of the same musicians who contributed to their debut CD, Bound. It expands upon that sound and sentiment and the success of tracks "Prodigal Soul" and "Those Beautiful Words" at non-commercial AAA.

"Six songs mingling hope and heartbreak comprise the exquisite debut from this dreamy ensemble..." - Performing Songwriter

• Birdsong at Morning to take the stage at Hudson's Harvest Cafe

• Read the interview
   

Bound on Blue Gentian Records

 
The acoustic music ensemble Birdsong At Morning celebrates the release of Bound, featuring the warm, intimate vocals and finely honed songwriting of Alan Williams. Williams is joined by his long-time sweetheart, Darleen Wilson on guitar and vocals, and by his musical collaborator since their late teens, Greg Porter on bass and vocals.

Evoking the sudden leap and fated destination of restless journeys, as well as the deeply rooted bond between friends and lovers, Bound offers five compositions by Birdsong leader, Alan Williams, and an intriguing, acoustic take on Blondie's "Dreaming."

Bound shimmers with the expansive sound of old friend Ben Wittman (The Story, Laurie Anderson, Lucy Kaplansky, Erasure) on drums, recorded during a couple of astounding days at Avatar Studios in New York, and Alan's nuanced strings arrangements, recorded at Fraser Performance Studio at WGBH, Boston.

Lush in sound, intimate in feel, knowing in sentiment, Bound is the first in a four-part series that the band plans to release over the next year and a half. Each release sets a distinct mood and allows the listener to fully absorb the material in one sitting.