In early March, a terrible snowstorm hit Utah and Wyoming, causing over 100 vehicles to crash and close I-80. The Ballroom Thieves were at the head end of the crash. Though their vehicle was stuck in the snow for a few days, all in all they escaped without injury or any damage or loss to their gear or van. They joined us in the studio just a few days after the wreck to talk about the logistical challenge of the forced separation from their belongings, and the interruption to their touring schedule. At that point, the COVID-19 pandemic hadn't even started to impact working musicians!
They also performed a few tunes from Unlovely, their third full length album. Calin “Callie” Peters (vocals, cello, bass), Martin Earley (vocals, guitar), and Devin Mauch (vocals, percussion), crafted a album that they describe as a sonic encapsulation of emotional and political dissonance, and the constant state of discomfort that’s enveloped the world for the past few years. “We write about the things that are important to us and right now, it’s impossible to ignore the inadequate state of the world,” says Earley. “We just wrote the songs that came out of us and they happened to be largely political.” He continues, “In an ideal world, we would never write a political record—there’d be nothing extreme enough to warrant it.”
JPR Live Sessions are recorded with Audix microphones. Located in Wilsonville, Oregon, Audix designs, engineers, and manufactures high performing, innovative products that contribute to the advancement of the professional audio industry.
