Americana Highways brings you this premiere of Eric Brace & Last Train Home’s cover of Frog Holler’s “Sleepy Eyes” from Eric Brace & Last Train Home’s forthcoming album Daytime Highs & Overnight Lows due on January 31st on Red Beet Records.
“Sleepy Eyes” is Eric Brace on acoustic guitar and lead vocals; Jared Bartlett on electric, acoustic, and baritone guitars; Alan Brace on harmonica and vocals; Kevin Cordt on trumpet; Jim Gray on bass and glockenspiel; Jen Gunderman on piano, organ, and accordion; Martin Lynds on drums; Scott McKnight on electric and baritone guitar, organ, and vocals; Dave van Allen on pedal steel guitar; Chris Watling on tenor and baritone saxophone; Bill Williams on electric slide guitar, banjo, mandolin, and vocals.
Merging the perspectives of regionally neighboring musicians along the Mid-Altantic seaboard, “Sleepy Eyes” is a crisp lively Americana song written and presented by those who’ve been recording since before the genre codified. “Sleepy Eyes” is a compelling harbinger of Last Train Home’s new album, and like its lyrics, is itself “bigger and warmer than the sun,” with layers of banjo with mandolin and acoustic guitars, accordion and a glockenspiel for good measure over peppy snare beats.
I first heard this in the early aughts when Last Train Home played in Pennsylvania with a band called Frog Holler, a splendid combo fronted by songwriter Darren Schlappich. I wanted to record this from that first listen, and now we have. It’s of the best love songs to a place you’ll ever hear. Seek out Frog Holler, who are still at it with the same shambolic joy. You’ll love what you find. — Eric Brace
Stay informed here: https://www.redbeetrecords.com/last-train-home
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