Parsonsfield Blooms at Red Sky Stage

Oct. 14, 2016

Chris Freeman, Antonio Alcorn, Harrison Goodale, Erik Hischmann, and Max Shakun became a band almost before they knew that they were one. They met in college, in a folk music club, congregating together each week to jam out old tunes, from bluegrass and Celtic music to Pete Seeger and Arlo Guthrie. These day, they’re playing professionally, as Parsonsfield, an eclectic brand of Americana.

THE FOLK BEGINNING

“We got our start when that weekly jam session was mistaken for a band, and we were asked to open a show,” Freeman said. “We played that gig and grew from there, trying to write songs that would fit in with the others we were playing at the folk music club.” After college, the crew decided they wanted to make an album — and that they also wanted to step away from the “old-time folkie” sounds with which they started. “While respecting the roots that our music came from, our goal now is to be limitless in experimentation and make whatever music sounds good to us at the time,” Freeman said.

THE WALKING DEAD

The bandmates hail from Massachusetts but named the band after the rural Maine town of Parsonsfield after recording their debut album, Poor Old Shine, there. And it was the songs from that album, along with the band’s boisterous and

impressive live performances, that have snagged them plenty of attention. This past March, their track “Weeds or Wildflowers” was included in an episode of the wildly popular AMC TV show The Walking Dead. So when it came time to record their sophomore album, the stakes were higher, and the band was busier than ever, which made things a little tricky.

THE DUSTY DESTINATION

“We’d written music for a play that ran in Canada for close to 300 shows,” Freeman said, “and we were hearing our songs in a pretty inorganic way — through in-ear monitors — and even seeing each other on TV monitors while performing on opposite sides of the stage. So we wanted to find a space that sounded as different as possible to inspire new sounds for this new record.” Most of the band had grown up in the same area out East and knew of an old axe factory that was vacant. In spite of the layer of sawdust covering everything in the place (that would soon find its way onto the band, their instruments, and amps), the crew cleaned out the factory as best as they could and set about making use of its cavernous acoustics — and their newfound creative time.

THE THOUGHTFUL TUNES

“Because of our hectic schedule in Canada, we were barely able to rehearse together,” Freeman said. “So these songs were mostly made as individual demos, or bits and pieces played on one instrument. By moving to the axe factory, we introduced so many new instruments — in addition to the

main instrument, the room. We also wrote songs start to finish there.” Parsonsfield had been touring together as a band for years, which became an asset to its recording process. “We’re able to have many moods now, and I think that shows up as making a different kind of album, audio-wise, from our debut,” Freeman said. “Most of all, though, these songs are much more thoughtfully composed.”

THE NEW SOUNDS

The new album, Blooming Through the Black, opens with the slowly accelerating “Stronger,” which starts on more of a folky note, but soon progresses to an enthusiastic folkpunk barn-burner. “Water Through a Mill” takes the opposite approach, as more of a ballad anchored by calming organ lines, while “Across Your Mind” gets a little funky. All throughout, Parsonsfield’s multi-part harmonies meld the album into one cohesive and intriguing listen that’s even better when you hear the tunes performed live. “We try to have people stomping their feet and hollering one minute, and a moment of near silence the next,” Freeman said. “Our shows are the best part of our day on tour, and we’re doing one of the longest tours we’ve ever done this fall to support this record. We’re really excited to get out there and show off the new stuff.”

Parsonsfield will be in concert at Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey on Oct. 28 at 8pm as part of the Blissfest Concert Series. The opening act will be Laney Jones and the Spirits. For tickets and more information, visit blissfest.org/all-events or call 231-347-3209.