Armchair Boogie independently releases Hard Times & Deadlines March 15. Their unconventional lineup of banjo with acoustic & electric guitars backed by tight, driving rhythms on electric bass and drums enhances Armchair Boogie’s lightning-fast bluegrass, allowing them to freely venture into the realms of funk or country.
Buckle up, their newest single, “Livin’” is a high energy ride with plenty of twists and turns. The kind of tune that puts the boogie in the armchair!
“Livin’” features banjoist Augie Dougherty's characteristic fast-talking vocal wit on this electrifying song that was inspired by a quote from The Hobbit: "What's the good in living, if the living really isn't that good?" Augie says, “I'm talking about all the juicy parts of life here—parties, love & lust, the forest, friends…The good stuff.”
Along with Dougherty on banjo, Armchair Boogie is Ben Majeska acoustic and electric guitars backed by tight, driving rhythms of Eli Frieders on electric bass, and Denzel Connor on drums.
This high energy jamgrass/newgrass/funkgrass—whatever you want to call it—quartet has been on the rise in the festival scene since their formation in 2015, after meeting and forming on the front porch of their college home of the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point. They released their first album in 2018 after moving to Madison in the years prior, followed by another in 2019 and an EP in 2021.
Self-produced, Hard Times & Deadlines shows a maturing of the band’s songwriting and musical capabilities. Much of the material for this album was written during the early days of the pandemic and reflects their passion in managing life's realities while also allowing room for nostalgic toasts and memories—Majeska and Dougherty sing lead on the respective songs they wrote.
“Hard Times & Deadlines is a pretty literal explanation of what I felt life was turning into,” Dougherty says. "The fluffy part of college and party life was beginning to fade away and it seemed like it was time to put my head down and work.” Once the tunes were drafted, they were brought to the whole band for collaboration. "This is where the tune truly becomes a Boogie song. Everyone adds their touch of creative input and we're able to polish it up collectively pretty quickly,” explains Dougherty.
Majeska says “Life comes with highs and lows, and Hard Times & Deadlines captures the fleet of emotions that come with it. From broken hearts and fond memories. To broad horizons and the inevitable end of this human journey.”
The ten original songs that make up Hard Times & Deadlines were recorded and mixed by Jeffrey Peterson at Lunar Lava Audio in Fort Atkinson, WI and mastered by Collin Jordan.
Previously released singles include a blazing “Gone in a Day” (with Jeremy Garret on fiddle), the Hartforesque “Hard Times,” and the nostalgic “Liquor Store” (with Ernest Brusubardis IV on fiddle).
Other tracks include a buoyant “All the Same,” the struttin’ “Skippin’ Town,” and a grassy “Empty Pools” which reflects on the loneliness of changes of season and changes of heart and features Connor on piano (as well as drums).
With "You've Been Hurt," a poignant song about building trust in a relationship that features vocals from all four members, the band adopts a more measured approach. They pick the quick beat right back up with ”Low Down Time.” While upbeat and cheerful on the outside, the song pleads, “It’s been a low down time, And things been out of line. And I just need some help getting by. Won’t you help me stay alive?"
Majeska says “Being down and out is part of life. But if we're lucky, we'll have people to rely on along the way. Be it a stranger or close companion, we're in this together.” With this sentiment in mind, and adding to their kinetic sound, Armchair Boogie's special guests for "Low Down Time" are The Payback Horns, which consist of Jamie Kember on trombone, Jon Schipper on trumpet, and Allen Cordingley on tenor sax.
They close the album out with a song about our inevitable finish line in the tongue-in-cheek "Boneyard." Augie says, “I was channeling my best ‘John Prine energy’ while writing this tune…’I'm headed to the bone yard. So are you. It’s the same old story that they’re following too close to’.”
A band on the verge, the good word of the Boogie continues to spread like wildfire. In 2024, they are set to play a slew of tour dates including shows at WinterWonderGrass Steamboat, DelFest, Solshine: A Music & Arts Reverie, their own: The Boogiedown Festival, and 4848 Festival, with more yet to be announced.
Visit www.armchairboogiemusic.com for more information, tour dates, and keep up with their adventures on facebook.com/armchairboogieboys and instagram.com/armchairboogieboys.
