Don’t Be A Wallflower!
Hit The DANCE! Floor With Sol Driven Train
New CD Is Out On March 17
"With
the album DANCE! we have put on our boogie shoes. These songs are
intended to lift spirits and spread smiles. Push back the furniture,
crank up the volume, and move your body to the beat!" - SDT
Atlanta, GA – On March 17, Sol Driven Train will release their 12th album, DANCE!
on their own label, Sol Driven Train Records. This tasty collection of
songs was produced by the band and Jeff Hodges at Charleston Sound
studios. Hailing from the Southern port town of Charleston, SC, the band
prides itself as being charmingly eclectic. As the New Year opens up,
the Train keeps rolling with the release of DANCE!, a
hectic touring schedule across the US and Caribbean, and a spot on the
Atomic Music Group Showcase at The SXSW Festival on March 20th in
Austin, TX.
The
band celebrates a milestone this year for it’s been 15 years since SDT
was birthed. They have released 11 independent albums, including two
children’s, a live DVD, and an EP, all driven by their DIY ethos. They
have asked fans for funding, and those loyal Train riders have answered
back, once with their 2012 release Underdog and now with this year’s DANCE!.
They also love to give back to their community with many charitable
performances supporting local educational and environmental initiatives.
Over
the years of relentless touring, Sol Driven Train has played shows with
some of their musical heroes, like Bruce Hornsby, the late great Levon
Helm, and Tab Benoit. These opening slots have impressed the headliners
so much they were invited back on several extended tours. During these
shows, new fans have been won over by this infectious live band and the
joy that they transmit from stage.
Who is Sol Driven Train and why are they always smiling?
SDT
consists of Ward Buckheister on guitar, trombone, and vocals; Russell
Clarke on saxophones and vocals; Matt Thompson on bass and vocals; Ross
Bogan on keyboards and vocals; Wes Powers on drums; Joel Timmons on
guitar and vocals. The smiling part comes from the sheer joy of doing
what they love and making everyone around them happy. There is a
palpable sense of brotherhood, mutual support and a creative
independence that oozes into the crowds.
DANCE!
is one of those albums that will make everyone jump for joy.
Stylistically it bounces from reggae to jazz, from folk rock to jam band
styles, and the band navigates the winding road with a sonic
playfulness. Their vocal melodies and harmonies recall the genius of
Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, while their musicianship has a strong
resemblance to the bands of James Brown and Paul Simon. While the album
offers fun beats and witty lyrics, it also gives some insight into the
band members' personal lives.
Old-school
fans of the band will enjoy Joel’s contributions like “Coconut Tree”
and “Greyhound Station,” written on a sailboat during an epic
around-the-world trip in 2003-2004. “Gravity” and “Everest” are songs
of Ward’s that were written during the band’s 2008 Lighthouse sessions
and while these songs weren’t included in that album, they are
incredibly personal. Multi-instrumentalist Ward has celebrated five
years of sobriety, and his clarity combined with the musical maturity of
the current lineup has given new life to these live show standards.
“Crazy Dancer,” “Lobstamandaughta,” and “Big Easy Walk” are danceable
tunes reflecting Joel’s gratitude to the people and places that they
have visited over the course of 15 years. The album closes with a
stripped down a Capella number, “Altitude,” where all six members sing
and play body percussion in a doo-wop style love song. You can hear the
warm breeze in their harmonizing voices.
The
front cover gives it all away with Russell Clarke looking like John
Travolta in Saturday Night Fever in that iconic pose. Everybody knows
what that means. Will you dance the mashed potato? The rumba? The tango?
Or just do the monkey?
The
band’s touring schedule is being handled by booking agent Logan Bosemer
of Atomic Music Group in Nashville, TN. The band’s radio campaign is
being promoted by Brad Paul of Brad Paul Media located outside of
Boston, MA. SDT is active on the following social media platforms –
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram and you can access them and
more by going to their website: www.soldriventrain.com
INTINERARY
2/5 Isis Music Hall Asheville, NC
2/6 Gottrocks Greenville, SC
2/7 New Brookland Tavern Columbia, SC
2/12 Local 506 Chapel Hill, SC
2/13 Ziggy’s Winston-Salem, NC
2/14 Holston River Brewing Co. Bristol, TN
2/15 The Purple Fiddle Thomas, WV
2/15 The Purple Fiddle Thomas, WV
2/16 Hill Country Live Washington, DC
3/12 Smith’s Olde Bar Atlanta, GA
