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0000017c-60f7-de77-ad7e-f3f739cf0000Arts & More airs Fridays at 7:50 a.m. and 4:20 p.m.Theme music: "Like A Beginner Again" by Dan Barry of Seas of Jupiter

Recording In A Blizzard: Cold Mountain Child Releases New Album

Tyler Bradley in the Jayco trailer where he recorded Earth Wave Sway

Not everyone would choose to live in an old travel trailer in the middle of winter, but for Tyler Bradley—the front man for the Kalamazoo band Cold Mountain Child—it was the perfect place for songwriting. 

On Friday, March 27th the folk band will release their first full album in six years. The album—called Earth Wave Sway—is a collection of songs recorded in places like a patio, an orchard, and of course—a trailer.

Cold Mountain Child will be having a release show at Satellite Records in Kalamazoo at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, along with another local band Secret Animals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmsiwaNJHfE

The 1983 Jayco Trailer and The Blizzard Sessions

Bradley and his bandmate David Spalvieri-Kruse originally bought the travel trailer to live in after moving to Bangor from the Richland area. Bradley says it took a lot of work to fix it up, but they grew to love it. Spalvieri-Kruse has since left Michigan, but Bradley says he still lives in the trailer on the property of Eater's Guild Farm and frequently records there. 

"The trailer and these winters and the lifestyle is kind of definitely, inextricably intertwined in the music itself so it felt right to match them up," says Bradley.

Bradley says while you won't hear things like birds chirping on the recording, the new album has that kind of outdoor "vibe." Along with the album, Bradley also recorded a series of Youtube videos during winters in the trailer called The Blizzard Sessions

"Making those videos was an attempt to update people as far as where I'm at in the months preceding the release of this album. It's kind of a big step forward," he says.

Cold Mountain Child Six Years Later

Credit Cold Mountain Child

Bradley says a lot has changed since their last big release in 2009, Stillness Singing. Band members have come and gone. Bradley has taken long trips to places like Mexico and Peru, and even left Kalamazoo completely for a few months to live in Georgia. As a result, he says the band's sound also changed.

Bradley says while Stillness Singing was more about several layers ambient vocals, this album is more down to earth.

"Trying to make all of what is on there very essential and thought out," says Bradley.

Reading the Lyrics

With the rise of the digital download, you may have to do some digging to find the lyrics to your new favorite song. But Cold Mountain Child makes an effort to post quite a few on their website and Bandcamp page. When asked why the band places an emphasis on lyrics, Bradley attributes that to his old folk favorites--like Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan. 

"I've just been moved so much by songs that really say something," he says.

"If you sit down and listen to the music I would love for you to understand it, or at least read everything that is being sung. Cause I think maybe we can connect better that way."

Tyler_Bradley.mp3
A longer interview with Tyler Bradley of Cold Mountain Child

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