My Days Of 58

Description

My Days of 58 is Bill Callahan's eighth album, his first since 2022. The twelve tracks reveal an unexpected depth of expression, with Bill continuing to forge one of the most original paths in today's music scene, both in terms of songwriting and performance. With My Days of 58, he imbues the studio recording with the vibrant energy of his live concerts, thus refining his intimate portraits with unprecedented intensity. The main musicians featured on My Days of 58 are the same ones who toured for the REALITY album in 2022: guitarist Matt Kinsey, saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi, and drummer Jim White, whose synergy was already evident on the live album Resuscitate! in 2024. This proved to Bill, as he himself says, "that they were capable of tackling any challenge," adding: "Improvisation, unpredictability, the unknown—that's what motivates me to keep making music. It's all about listening to yourself and to others. The best moments in a recording are often the mistakes: turning them into assets, using them as a springboard to something human." In this spirit, Bill prepared the tracks separately with each musician. Drawing inspiration from composer, fan, and friend Jerry DeCicca, he recorded the basic tracks for all but one song as a duo with Jim White. At the same time, he rehearsed with Matt, guitar against guitar, while asking Dustin to create the horn arrangements for a few songs. For added spontaneity and human warmth, Bill called on several other musicians: Richard Bowden on violin, whom he had seen play with Terry Allen and adored; pianist Pat Thrasher; bassist Chris Vreeland; and trombonist Mike St. Clair and pedal steel guitarist Bill McCullough, whom he knew through Knife in the Water.