I just realized that I released Hungry Heartland one year and ten days ago. I find this hard to believe as it feels like three years have passed since April 19, 2015: a sticky hot year in Summerville, a dark fantastic year in Norge, and a slow thaw-out year in Jamaica Plain. When I listen back to HH now, I’m kinda surprised by some of the things I sing.
These songs cooked for a long time. I wrote most of them when I was on the move around the upper Midwest with Saint Anyway. We were ricocheting around the three great states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa then, playing in dive bars and sleeping on couches. Once between outings, when I was staying at my Mom’s house in Cloquet, I went out for a run and my iPod shuffled to Bruce Springsteen – Hungry Heart. WOW. The song sent me into a bit of a reverie and recolored my hometown.
Back from the run, I wanted to somehow play tribute to that feeling…maybe work up a cover version of Bruce’s anthem. It didn’t really work. So, I twisted the song title a bit and claimed it for myself.
