John Davey
Summer Nightwind is the fourth studio album by songwriter John Davey. It was composed in the months preceding the birth of his daughter. “Late Bloomer” is the first single. It establishes the paradoxical relationship between the life of the imagination and the embodied experience of day-to-day routine, a theme which plays throughout the album. The title track is an homage to the American West and the memory of Davey’s older brother. “Summer Nightwind” depicts A Truck, A Horse, A Man and closes the chapter on adolescence.
“AM Angel” and “Jesus is a Friend (of the Working Man)” are set to the rhythm of manual labor and the natural movement of people across land. They return Davey to the gospel, a denominator of both country music and rock ‘n roll.
The give-and-take of an intimate relationship plays out in “Laugh Track” and “Sacred Heart”. Both are accompanied by the narrator’s promise to be a presence to contend with.
The final set of companion songs on Summer Nightwind are the character sketches “Sad Prince” and “Employee of the Month” which examine anti-heroes in two dramatic coming-of-age sequences. These are set to the backdrop of a stripped down indie rock so familiar to listening ears in John Davey’s era.
“Our Ladies Anno Domini” is the jubilant, tongue-in-cheek end of the record which enters with laughter and a half-cocked appreciation into the spirit of the Feminine. The only song on Summer Nightwind which was planted before the migration north, this refrain gratifies and sets the stage for a second listen.
The sound of Summer Nightwind was conceived of by Davey’s longtime collaboration with drummer Bud Clowers and his baritone guitar. The album was produced by Ryan Staples and John Davey at Dead River Sound in Marquette, Michigan and elevated by performances from Mark Wayne (pedal steel guitar), Luke Arquette (bass and electric guitar), Liam Joyce (drums), and Pete Gummerson (organ). It was mastered by TW Walsh (Pedro the Lion, Sufjan Stevens, Damien Jurado) in Massachusetts.
~Hear the new single Summer Nightwind~
~Hear the new single Late Bloomer~
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
“Fabulous upbeat acoustic guitar driven indie folk, and a perfect, sonorous voice.” - Indie Tapes
“This is what indie folk is supposed to sound like.” - Ear to the Ground Music
“Fetching harmonies, inventive arrangements and clever instrumentation (“Sugarmask,” “Hard Times, Strong Men”) turn what could have been a typical singer-songwriter affair into a pop-hued, indie-rock/folk gem… Davey unfurls brilliantly crafted lyrics throughout” - The Record Eagle
“... a masterful lyricist who takes listeners with him as he navigates the roads and obstacles of life. The journey is driven by the pulse of John’s skillful and innovative guitar playing.” - Voice Box Sessions
“... lush and lively. ‘Spent’ is a shining example of this. Playful, with a tiny lyrical twang, Davey's phrasing takes center stage… ” - Speakers in Code
“Those Terrifying Moments That Come Along So Slightly” - Daytrotter
“John Davey is a generous musician with lyrics that function on a high literary level. His compositions are subtle and soft, though his songs often focus on big ideas and the nature of human loneliness.” - UPROXX
“... dynamic delivery and well-written lyrics... Davey will mesmerize and surprise you.” - GemsOnVHS
“Some songs, I think, can be judged in part simply on how long they stay stuck in our heads. Sometimes we can just set aside music critic conventions and hyper-specific number ratings and step inside the world-space of a pop song that won't let you back out. This is where I've been for the last several weeks with ‘Spent’… Davey folds himself into chord progressions and song structures that feel comfortable as an old shirt.” - Musical Family Tree
“ Davey’s songwriting remains as nuanced and gripping as ever...an extremely impressive emerging talent…” - Heartbreaking Bravery
“I’m still a pop guy at heart. Maybe that’s why I like this so much. John Davey has a great sense for melody and the album Living is Trying is full of wonderful folk-tinged pop songs” - One Chord To Another
“...a much-needed breath of fresh air from big-headed, hotshot musicians... John Davey sings songs about heartbreaks and towns, people, places, and things. The usual, you might say. What’s unusual is how, with no more than the strike of a chord, he switches from a hilarious, carefree midwestern boy to an intense, earnest performer. ” - Mostly Midwest
“In a Whelming Tide... an upbeat but emotional collection of songs..." - The In Store