Patrick Ames shares new album

Napa Valley-based singer-songwriter Patrick Ames offers his own distinct brand of Americana music which he’s continued to evolve over his long and decorated career. The American songsmith offers a rare sense of profound poetry in his emotive lyricism which he delivers in his timeless bluesy sound.

Living on a vineyard in the northern Californian hills, Patrick Ames is surrounded by natural beauty, which translates into his poignant songwriting. With an extensive back catalogue of music under his belt, he’s delighted fans for years with his deep vocal work, carrying thoughtful storytelling lyrics backed up by delicate arrangements of instrumentation.

Now he brings us his most powerful and life-affirming work to date with his latest album Harmonium. A stripped back record featuring seven original recordings, his new album hosts the very best of his enduring songwriting, backed up by his vast compositional experience and accomplished musicianship.

Ranging from the hard-hitting universal truth of “No People Are Supreme” to the refreshing honesty of songs like “Is It Okay to Complain”, the tracks on the new record were composed on the artist’s vineyard, allowing his uncompromising sonic vision to shine through. Linking up with longtime collaborator and legendary producer Jon Ireson, each track is wrapped by his unique imprint and lifted by the backing vocals courtesy of Chana Matthews.

Commenting on the album, Patrick Ames shares, “Harmonium is the title of Wallace Stevens’ first book of poetry (1923) and I happened to be reading it while in my music studio about a century later, during the 2021-2022 Omicron virus wave. The poems were inspiring so I borrowed the title for a new music project and then buried myself alive for about three months trying to emulate the inspiration.”

Continuing, “I was also trying to ignore the news, the virus wave and then the war in Ukraine, trying to be positive, inspired, busy. As such, there are no grand overarching themes in this new LP. Only a purposeful exploration of what I want to matter again. That’s why there’s Grace, the LP’s finale.”

Listen to Harmonium below