Feeling like a deep-cut out of a Bob Dylan album, ‘The Flow’, by Michael Landgarten And The Converts, is from their new album, ‘The Long Highway’, released on the 26th of June.
The track was recorded live in York, Maine, in the hand-built barn studio belonging to drummer, Robbie Kneeland. The soaring ceilings and wood surrounds give the track a homey, chill vibe, and the chemistry between the band members is evident, as they relax into each other’s playing, and, as it were, go with “the flow”.
Landgarten’s vocals are gorgeously gravelly and languid, as he strolls along the song, accompanied by his guitar. On the music video that was recorded with the track, we see the band carefully following Landgarten’s lead, making eye contact with each other from time to time, while also giving it their own spice and personality.
Just one of the tracks on ‘The Long Highway’, all of which were written by Landgarten (with the exception of ‘Faithless Act’, for which bassist Marc McElroy composed the music, and Landgarten penned the lyrics and melody), ‘The Flow’ captures the band doing what they do best: jamming, their individual talents coalescing, fully formed. There’s a rich authenticity to their sound, making the listener feel as though they’re in the room with them – not as a fly on the wall, but rather, one of the privileged circle, allowed in to witness these artists at work.
The band uses the barn to rehearse in, before bringing in engineer Rick Watson to do the fine tuning, but this is a band that works together like a well-oiled machine, and there’s not many touch-ups required.
Written after a trip to Spain, where Landgarten felt an unfamiliar – but profound – sense of ease, ‘The Flow’ captures the freedom of realising that you don’t need to know it all, you don’t need answers for everything. It’s a good place to be.
Watch the music video for ‘The Flow’ below, and find out more about Michael Landgarten and his music online on Instagram, Facebook, and his official website.
