“I suspect it will win a Grammy. No fooling. It’s groundbreaking.” –Laid Back Country Picker
BY PHILL BARNETT
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
LOUISA — Lawrence County native Tyler Childers announced on social media that he will be releasing a triple-album featuring new songs and arrangements.
The album is set to be released on September 30 via Hickman Holler Records and RCA Records. Pre-order or pre-save the album at tchilders.lnk.to/CanITakeMyHoundsToHeaven before it releases.
The album is heavily influenced by Childers’ upbringing in the church and will feature many elements borrowed from gospel music.
“I grew up Baptist and I was scared to death to go to Hell. And a lot of that stuck with me. Filtering through that and trying to find the truth, and the beauty, and the things you should think about and expelling all that nonsense has been something I’ve spent a lot of time on. This is a collection that came together through those reflections,” said Childers.
“In a lot of ways, this is processing life experiences in the different philosophies and religions that have formed me, trying to make a comprehensive sonic example of that.”
The album in three parts will feature a full-length album of new songs from Childers and his band the Food Stamps and two full-length alternate versions of the same album. The second part, the Jubilee version, will feature a live performance of the album’s 8 tracks with horns, strings, dulcimer, sitar, and several other layers added.
The Hallelujah and Jubilee versions of the album’s first single “Angel Band” were released in tandem with the announcement.
Childers is keeping quiet about the style of the third part of the album until it is released at the end of the month.
Theresa Prince of Luna and the Mountain Jets, a Fallsburg-based band, will be featured singing on the first section of the album.
Not only was the style and message of the album influenced by the church, but so was the three-part format.
“Working with the same song three different ways is a nod to my raising, growing up in a church that believes in the Holy Trinity: The Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and what that means. The Father being the root, the place from which everything comes from, and The Son coming to free up some of those things, allowing it to be more open and welcoming. And then you have the Holy Ghost once The Son is gone — that feeling that’s supposed to keep us sustained until we are reunited, in whatever way that looks.”
“Message-wise, I hope that people take that it doesn’t matter race, creed, religion and all of that like — the most important part is to protect your heart, cultivate that and make that something useful for the world.”
When asked his thoughts on the triple-album, the Laid Back Country Picker of Fallsburg said “I suspect it will win a Grammy. No fooling. It’s groundbreaking.”
This album will be a release eastern Kentuckians and perhaps the world will be talking about for quite some time. Pre-order or pre-save the album today so you don’t miss it.