Warm and inviting tenors tend to be the theme for Montana-based quartet Satsang. Fresh from announcing their extraordinary new album ‘All. Right. Now.,’ available June 4th, 2021, we’re in for a further exploration of soulful, reggae-infused folk-rock anthems.
Written and recorded during an extended hiatus from the road, the performances are broad and spacious, reflecting the wide-open fields and soaring mountains that surrounded the band while they were recording. The result is a lush, organic collection fueled by acoustic guitars, fiddle, and pedal steel; a warm, inviting record that hints at everything from Uncle Tupelo and The Jayhawks to Gregory Alan Isakov and The Head and the Heart.
Falling into the sonic embrace of their lead single and title track from the album, “All. Right. Now.,” is an inspired fusion of the land of Montana and the role of frontman Drew McManus’ as a father.
The melodies exuded are both accessible and fortified as they assert their dominance in the lush arrangement. With a major focus on top-tier production quality, Satsang personifies their genuine intentions through rustic notes of realism.
Respectively signifying Montana as their place of residence, they prove it to be much more than that. Satsang captures the heart and soul that incorporates where they reside as an equivalent family member. With the kinship shining brightly through the melodic timbres shed in a pastoral vocal performance to match the enticing sounds of the instrumentation trucking on, the tight patterns in the composition add a polished touch to the emotion bared in this body of work.
Shifting seamlessly between up-beat symbolisms of who they are, we also pick up on the saturated quintessence that Satsang takes on in the personal warmth radiated. Accompanying the release of “All. Right. Now.” is a music video showing true American pride in the countrysides of Montana, as you take in the band's wholesome appeal during the recording of this impactful record.
We love the wholesome traits that we hear peeking through this offering of, “All. Right. Now.” What inspired you to make this the lead single from the album?
This was my favorite song of the bunch, but I have to give the label credit for picking it as the first single. I obviously loved it enough to want to name the record after it, but SideOneDummy made the push and I agreed happily.
In your own words, what does this specific song mean to you?
I wrote the song coming off our last tour when I just felt really overwhelmed. Looking at how much building Satsang was doing, returning home and going back into stay-at-home-dad mode, therapy... I was just kind of getting piled with the life I had built. When I started the song it evolved into me shifting my perspective into gratitude. Looking at this crazy, beautiful, unorthodox life that I had made, and that I always said I wanted. So in writing it, I went from overwhelmed to overwhelmed with gratitude. The oath of least resistance was never for me. I find myself in the fire. And luckily the fire I tend to find myself in is the one I constructed.
What was it like filming the video for “All. Right. Now.?"
Most of the footage came from when we actually made the record. The experience was so amazing. Having all my boys in my home state and natural habitat to soak up the vibe of the mountains and river and see where these songs came from... was perfect. The rest of it was filmed this winter in my office with Greyson (our photo/video guy). I had actually torn my PFL and ACL the day he arrived training, so I was a bit wobbly but we made it swing.
What can listeners from the new album on June 4th?
They can expect a very BIG sound. I went deep on this one. Lots of guitars, lots of fiddle, lots of big-sounding drums. It’s like if Tom Petty produced a Satsang record... but we hired a bunch of 90s country Nashville players to fill in gaps.
What's next for you and the band?
Hopefully TOURING! We added a 5th member for the fall and really hope it happens. We are doing a big album release week at the Mishawaka in Colorado and two shows out here in my hometown of Red Lodge, MT. I really want people to travel to MT for these shows and hike, fish, ski (we do that through August here on the Beartooth Pass) and just see where I’m from and experience a weekend in the last best place. All shows for June will be outdoors, and following any guidelines in place, so we hope that we end up having a hell of a party!