Photo byDreamspider Publicity

Greg Copeland is prepping for the release of a new EP. It’s titled "Empire State" and has a drop date of September 6th, 2024. But first, for those of you not yet familiar with the artist in question, a bit o’ background.

Greg Copeland

Photo byChris Scmitt

According to his official website and other online sources, Greg Copeland is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He is an Orange County, California-based artist and was a friend of Jackson Browne in the 1960s. His rockin’ resume includes co-writing “The Fairest Of The Seasons” with Browne, “Buy for Me the Rain” with Steve Noonan, and “Candy” with Browne and Wally Stocker.

In 1982 he finally released his own album titled “Revenge Will Come.” Following a 26-year break, he dropped his second album, “Diana and James.” Four years ago, he released “The Tango Bar.”

Signature Sound

Greg Copeland’s signature sound is a mix of multiple music genres including Americana, blues, country, and folk.

"Empire State"

"Empire State" is a five-track EP of all original material written by Copeland. Here Copeland leads the way on acoustic guitar and vocals. He is backed by other artists including Greg Leisz on pedal steel, mandolin, mandocello, and guitar, Val McCallum (Jackson Browne) on rubber bridge slide and electric guitars, Jay Bellerose (Joe Henry) on drums and percussion, Jennifer Condos (Joe Henry) on bass, Sara Watkins on violin, and producer Tyler Chester on keyboards, bass, and piano.

In a recent email, he discussed the experience of making this disc. He said: “Recording with this band is songwriter's heaven. Every single one of them has a head for lyrics, so they're all focused on what's actually happening in the song, which is incredibly rare all by itself.”

He concluded: “Tyler is the mayor; Leisz is both the doctor and the sheriff—he finds the center of gravity in a song and then just plays; Val is the black sheep brother you can't help but love; and Jay and Jen are the Department of Water and Power—adding to the whole atmosphere. I love every one of them. And Sara fits this like your sister coming by for cake. Totally ok, yes, this feels right.”

Track by Track

The album opener is the back porch piece “Boon Time.” Complete with Copeland’s non-nonsense vocals, this is meant to be a cautionary cut foreshadowing not so much as what is still to come on the EP but a rude awakening regarding the questions some ask about crime and violence.

The second selection is “We The Gathered.” This is the premiere single off the release and rightfully so as it’s already an early fave of fans and critics alike. It has its own sense of dramatic drive and intensity in both the music and the lyrics and would make a great music video.

It is both spiritual and socially relevant in that it seems to speak to the commonalities of our beliefs and a universal “golden rule” if you will. It is both pensive and suspensive and soundtrack-ready as well.

The next number is “4:59:59.” There is something about this cut that is somehow Woody Guthrie-like. It’s a quieter, simple, subdued ditty that tunefully yet tells the tale of a blue-collar character’s past struggles.

Not to be confused with the 2015 “Coyotes” by Modest Mouse, Copeland’s “Coyotes” is a fun aural palate cleanser. While one-minute tracks are not something previously unheard of, witness The Residents’ 1980 “Commercial Album”, this one was actually recorded in his very own backyard and arguably sets “the scene for the title track to close out the EP.”

The closing cut is the title track, “Empire State.” This is a slower, acoustic-led cut about a songwriter who simultaneously leaves behind love and the Big Apple regardless of the consequences. It’s a nigh-pretty piece musically but not at all overproduced. Undoubtedly, this slow dance tune will win over live audiences as much as the studio version leaves listeners wanting more.

Overall…

Overall, this new release is highlighted with strong, seemingly simple yet effective audio offerings that work well without copious quantities of long-winded lyrics. (Yes, that description is ironic.) Both the music and the lyrics are subtly suffused with an essential essence born only from Copeland’s imagination and experience.

As is often the case, it is not the theme or idea explored but how it is individually expressed. If one considers his previous work, an argument could even be made that this EP concerns the past and present of a pair of people who are both, like the rest of us, dealing with the everyday struggles of life. Perhaps Copeland’s next release will reveal more. So, check out Greg Copeland’s “Empire State” and enjoy some “Boon Time.”