Due out on June 23rd via both Cosmica Artists (digital) and Fort Lowell Records (Bandcamp, vinyl), Calexico guitarist Brian Lopez continues to promote his upcoming solo recording, Tidal, digitally and on 12-inch vinyl. Well, today, ahead of its public release on Friday, we’re thrilled to premiere the album’s smashing second single, “Road to Avalon,” featuring none other than KT Tunstall.
The indie rocker, well-known for his cinematic melodies and soaring vocals, was born and is based in Tucson. His debut solo recording, Ultra, dropped in 2012 to international acclaim and followed it up with Static Noise in 2014. Fast forward four more years, and Prelude, a ten-track lo-fi album written and recorded in his makeshift home studio in two weeks, was independently released in 2018.
Commenting on the song and the inspiration behind its creation, Lopez shared:
“KT visited my house sometime during the pandemic and told me to send her some music to sing to. I was in the middle of demoing songs for TIDAL and thought it might be a cool idea to write a duet with KTs voice in mind. So I got started on composing ‘Road To Avalon’ –– I sent her the music and she recorded her voice in LA, and added beautiful harmonies…oohs and ahhs that I would never be able to conceive of on my own.”
He adds:
“It was just nice to work together again. Especially during the solitude of a pandemic. I really enjoyed the challenge of writing a song that would fit into, not only a storyline of KT and I, but also a song that gave KT some creative license to do what she does best. And she delivered those beautiful vocal arrangements you hear.”
With Tidal, Lopez not only builds upon his mad songwriting skills but also returns to his indie rock origins. Aside from his solo project, Lopez is also the frontman of the psych/cumbia band XIXA and has worked with an expansive range of artists, including Calexico, Amos Lee, Nouvelle Vague, KT Tunstall, Giant Sand, and Mexican Institute of Sound
Tidal Track Listing:
- 3000 Stories
- Like a Virus
- Road to Avalon (ft. KT Tunstall)
- Black Mountain
- Margot Kidder
- Looking Glass
- Face to Face
- Magic
- All Souls
- Psilocybin Dream
