Redwood Son at the Doug Fir Lounge in 2016—click to see more photos by Miss EllaneaJosh Allan Malm has been at the center of a swirling country storm for years, playing what he calls "West Coast Americana + Roots Rock = Westicana." He's also booked countless acts under the banner of Westicana Presents, which is also a vehicle for releasing music as well as the title of his twangy 2016 EP.
While organizing, promoting and playing shows Malm is best known by the moniker of his longtime project: Redwood Son. Consistently working on new music, it's not always easy but he's set to release a new record, Saints & Renegades, on August 18 and will follow that with a full national tour in the fall.
'Saints & Renegades' isn't due out until August 18 via Westicana Records but you can get a free copy on April 26 at the Doug Fir if you buy tickets in advance"One thing is for sure with this album: It's been a slow, painful process," Malm tells. "We started it three years ago at Sean Flora's Rock n Roll B&B on Sauvie Island with Steve Berlin [of Los Lobos] producing. So much life has happened since then, and I'm just grateful to be finally getting it out to the world. [The saying] 'Hurry up and wait' is a real thing too. I can't even begin to explain the ups and downs."
Now, the record is done and, honestly, Malm can't wait until this summer to share it with y'all—especially us Portlanders. That's why you can find him celebrating "a soft release of the CD" on Wednesday, April 26 at the Doug Fir. And anyone who buys an advance ticket will get a copy of the new CD!
To whet your whiskey-lovin' palette and start a fire in your belly, get your first taste of Redwood Son's new sounds in the below video for "Rattle."
"I was fortunate enough to have Joshua Rivera of Rollstars Productions cut this video, with a cool half lyric video slash half stock footage of old Western films," Malm says. "He totally captured the essence (and humor) of the track, which plays on the sanity, or lack thereof, in human beings. The biggest thing for me with this song was to express some of the frustrations we all feel."
