Building around solid community and great songs, siblings Sara and Sean Watkins began their Watkins Family Hour shows at L.A.’s beloved Largo nightclub two decades ago. Twenty years later, the pair are still pushing the limits of their original vision, consistently inviting new members to the fold to tackle devastatingly good tunes. Today, Watkins Family Hour shared another taste of their new album, Vol. II—out August 19th—with a particularly lovely cover of Elliott Smith’s “Pitseleh” featuring Grammy-nominated folk-rocker Madison Cunningham.
Originally appearing on Smith’s 1998 album XO, Sean, Sara, and Madison transform the original’s swift waltz feel into a dreamy, pizzicato guitar-scape accented by a retro-feeling, unison string arrangement and subtle harmony. “Sara and I have been huge fans of Elliott Smith for a long time. Years ago, we were asked to take part in an Elliott Smith tribute concert in LA and this is the song I chose to do,” says Sean. “The fragility and heartbreaking imagery of the lyric have always spoken to me. I love the contrast between that sadness and Madison Cunningham’s gorgeous and sparkling guitar part.”
Fans can hear Watkins Family Hour’s all-new interpretation of “Pitseleh” at this link, check out the previously-released Vol. II singles, “Hypnotized” and “(Remember Me) I’m The One Who Loves You” featuring Fiona Apple, and pre-save or pre-order Vol. II ahead of its August 19th release date right here. Watkins Family Hour tour continues on August 13th at Lexington, Virginia’s Lime Kiln Theater. A full list of tour dates can be found below or at watkinsfamilyhour.com/tour.
Catch Watkins Family Hour On Tour:
Aug. 13 - Lexington, VA - Lime Kiln Theater
Aug 14 - York, PA - Susquehanna Folk Festival
Sept. 16 - Cincinnati, OH - Memorial Hall
Sept. 17 - Nashville, TN - Americana Fest
Sept. 18 - Indianapolis, IN - The Toby Theatre
Sept. 20 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
Sept. 21 - Kent, OH - Kent Stage
Sept. 22 - Fort Wayne, IN - Clyde Theatre
Sept. 23 - Bay Harbor, MI - Great Lakes Center for the Arts
Sept. 24 - Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Folk Music
Sept. 25 - Chicago, IL - Old Town School of Folk Music
Oct. 23 - Alexandria, VA - The Birchmere
Oct. 25 - New York, NY - (Le) Poisson Rouge
Oct. 27 - Albany, NY - The Egg
Oct. 29 - Groton, MA - Meadow Hall at Groton Hill Music Center
Oct. 30 - Brownfield, ME - Stone Mountain Arts Center
Nov. 13 - Beaverton, OR - The Reser
Nov. 14 - Eugene, OR - Soreng Theater at Hult Center
Nov. 16 - San Luis Obispo, CA - Performing Arts Center San Luis Obispo
Nov. 29 - Santa Barbara, CA - UCSB Campbell Hall
Dec. 1 - Napa, CA - JaM Cellars Ballroom
Dec. 2 - Menlo Park, CA - The Guild Theatre
Dec. 3 - Northridge, CA - The Soraya
