New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Rachael Sage has announced the release of her forthcoming album, "Myopia", out May 4 via MPress Records/ILS/Caroline. In anticipation, Sage has released the first single "
Olivia" via BlackBook. Listen now and pre-order the album via Pledge Music. On tour now with
Howard Jones.
Rachael tells BlackBook: "'Olivia' was inspired by my absolute admiration for the character
Olivia Benson on "Law & Order SVU". I have been watching the brilliantly talented
Mariska Hargitay bring this fiercely intelligent, empathetic and heroic character to life on TV for many years, and various episodes have inspired me to write songs, poems and even paint pictures. I've been equally inspired by Mariska's charity work via her organization Joyful Heart, and there's just something very compelling about the parallels between the strong character she portrays, and the good she is doing in her life for others."
Sonically, "Myopia" is a bold departure for Sage, with a much stronger emphasis on her guitar playing over her usual piano palette, with inventive contributions by Hoboken-based guitarist
James Mastro (Patti Smith, Ian Hunter) who Sage affectionately calls "the king of wah". Sage and Mastro toured last year with
Beth Hart and inevitably some of Hart's grit and soul rubbed off. In an unexpected foray into her roots, "Umru Mayne" finds Sage shout-singing in Yiddish over punk rock guitar and Doors-esque organ. "I've never sung in Yiddish before but this song just really spoke to me and then somehow when we recorded it, I channeled a bit more Patti Smith than Mandy Patinkin..."
Produced by Sage and her longtime engineer John Shyloski, "Myopia" was recorded last summer at Carriage House Studios in Stamford, CT as well as at Sage's home studio in NYC's East Village, and you can feel the swelter. The heavily electronic "Haunted By Objects" - on which Sage plays Moog synthesizer - describes the psyche of a hoarder whose only potential recourse may be to set everything on fire, while "This Darkness", a bluesy lamentation about the Dakota Pipeline, reflects the urgency and courage of Native Americans' resistance to environmental desecration; the enemy in the dark is indifference, the iciest kind of blindness.
Sage explains: "This is a warm-weather record. These are songs about getting out there, thawing things out, and unearthing the truth. Sometimes you can't do that in the dead of winter. But when the sun is shining, even the murkiest future appears hopeful."
Sage continues her tour opening for
Howard Jones with dates still to come in New York City, Boston, Cleveland,
Chicago and Detroit. Fans will be treated to special selections from "Myopia". Violinist
Kelly Halloran (Tom Morello) will be accompanying Sage for all of her performances.
2/23 -
Infinity Music Hall - Hartford, CT *
2/24 - YMCA Boulton Center For Performing Arts - Bay Shore, NY *
2/25 - Daryl's House - Pawling, NY *
2/26 - Sellersville Theater 1894 - Sellersville, PA *
2/28 - City Winery - Boston, MA *
3/1 - Shalin Liu Performance Center - Rockport, MA *
3/2 - City Winery NYC - New York, NY *
3/3 - City Winery NYC - New York, NY *
3/4 - Hangar Theater - Ithaca, NY *
3/7 -
Music Box Supper Club - Cleveland, OH *
3/8 - City Winery
Chicago - Chicago, IL *
3/9 - The Tarkington - Carmel, IN *
3/10 - Live! At The Ludlow Garage - Cincinnati, OH *
3/11 - St. Andrew's Hall - Detroit, MI *
3/12 - 3/17 - SXSW - Austin, TX
4/7 -
Phoenix Pride - Phoenix, AZ
4/19 - Genghis Cohen - Los Angeles, CA
4/21 - Refugee House Concert - Visalia, CA
4/22 - The Monkey House - Berkeley, CA
4/28 - Concerts @ Indie Air
Radio - Spokane, WA
4/30 - Rolling Hills
Radio @ Shawbucks - Jamestown, NY
5/2 - Joe's Pub - New York, NY
5/4 - Burlap & Bean - Newtown Square, PA
5/5 - Atomic Tom's - Binghamton, NY
