There is a Better World Coming

My newest project is almost ready for release. There is a Better World Coming is a collection of Woody Guthrie songs along with the Goebel Reeves song Hobo’s Lullaby. Hobo’s Lullaby spoke to Guthrie in the same way Woody’s songs have spoken to me.

I never really understood how to play these songs until I started riding trains regularly. While the rails have given me a visual perspective of country that aren’t available through auto travel, informing the lyrical content of the song, it’s the rails themselves that move the music forward. The rails are steady and smooth to a certain degree. Every once in a while there is a funny hop, the tempo speeds up and slows. My earliest musical education was drums and percussion. I treated the guitar parts like a jazz drummer interpreting the hum of the rails. This was how I approached the performances.

The recording itself is captured to Cubase through a Warm Audio RT87 on the vocal, and a SM57(Shure Mic) on the guitar at the 12th fret. I chose the 57 to capture a chunky tone from my guitars. I began with a condenser SM81on the guitar, but it felt too light and pretty for the mood.

I spent a lot of time experimenting before beginning the recordings I would eventually dedicate myself to. Just like choosing a mic that would capture the guitar sound I wanted, I fooled around with flat picking vs using the strum method I finally committed to. It’s sort of a Carter strum, using the thumb to build a bass line and chase the melody, while using the thumb to accent the beat. I always appreciated Woody Guthrie’s guitar technic. He seemed to maintain a solid bass line throughout.

I like to think this record has a touch of blues and a little gospel mixed in. How could it not?

I always opted for the energy over perfect execution. A few songs, have alternative takes that are technically superior to what I went with, but I was after energy. I wanted the record to feel like a train. A little ragged around the edges, and sometimes at the core. I wanted it to be honest and simple.

There’s a Better World Coming will be released on all streaming platforms on Woody Guthrie’s birthday July 14, 2026