Walter Salas-Humara of the Silos and Freedy Johnston in Concert and Conversation
Walter Salas-Humara
Walter’s musical career started with The Silos, the still-kicking band Salas-Humara co-founded in New York’s post-punk ‘80s scene. Playing alt-country before anyone called it that, they were named Best New Artist in the 1987 Rolling Stone Critics Poll. Throughout Salas-Humara’s career his voice has remained textured like a walnut; meanwhile, his narratives focus not on interior, abstract weaves of doubts and anxieties but on storytelling. He renders small incidents in granular detail that take on the weight of attentive, convincing poetry and wry wordplay. Each tune is marked by such humanity, which offers much refuge in a convulsive time. Salas-Humara’s legacy would seem secure; his name is on 25 albums, he’s performed all around the world, but he’s hardly finished. He still imbues his tunes with a slightly grass-worn, wandering Western vibe and a relaxed and open-ended ambience. Plus, they teem with a bounty of hooks and grooves that never distract from his musical portraits.
“The space-time of Salas-Humara is not a Technicolor world, or a green screen world of hyped fakery; it’s a workaday world, paced as such, in which home and heart are the iconography of inspiration, played with pluck and gravelly insight. Throughout Salas-Humara’s career his voice has remained textured like a walnut; he renders small incidents in granular detail that take on the weight of attentive, convincing poetry and wry wordplay.”
Freedy Johnston
Freedy Johnston, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, returns with his ninth album, “Back on the Road to You,” a melodic journey filled with wit, humor, and poignant storytelling. His songwriting prowess, once hailed by Rolling Stone in 1994 when they named him ‘Songwriter of the Year’, shines through on this new release. They described him as “a master storyteller, (who) sketches out full-blown tragedies in a few taut poetic lines,” adding that “he joins that elite cadre of songwriters—Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Elvis Costello—whose brilliant pop compositions turn magical with the addition of a defiantly idiosyncratic singing voice.”1 Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Eric Corne, the album echoes influences like The Byrds and Joni Mitchell, featuring collaborations with Aimee Mann, Susanna Hoffs, and Susan Cowsill.
Johnston delivers captivating tracks like the jangly “There Goes a Brooklyn Girl” and the heartfelt “Darlin’,” a duet with Aimee Mann. The album also includes the road trip anthem “Tryin’ To Move On” and the Harry Nilsson-esque satire “Madeline’s Eye.”
Johnston’s career spans 30 years, with early successes like “Can You Fly” earning him a major-label deal and the hit “Bad Reputation.” He has since released a series of albums and contributed music to films. “Back on the Road to You” marks a triumphant return for this gifted songwriter, showcasing his enduring talent and confirming his place among the best songwriters of his generation.