DENVER WESTWORD
Put Tony Meade's Upcoming Single on Your Radar
“A Walk in the Sun” drops on March 20.
By John Bear
March 18, 2022
Tony Meade's new song draws from The Beatles Tony Meade
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Tony Meade looked to the past and bands such as the Beatles when composing his single “A Walk in the Sun,” which drops on Sunday, March 20. The tune itself, however, is all about the future.
“Something like ‘Here Comes the Sun' would definitely be a theme,” Meade says. “That’s my favorite Beatles song anyway. I’m a big [George] Harrison fan. But also ‘All You Need Is Love,’ with the horns.”
Meade, who records with two other Denver musicians on guitars and keys, also uses a bass player in Maryland and a drummer in Rome, making for a sort of virtual international band. For “A Walk in the Sun,” he found an Australia-based horn player to compose the slightly slurred brass melody that dominates the song.
“It has a slightly vaudevillian feel on those horns,” Meade says. “I’ve never done that before. It just appealed to me; [it's] a little bit more whimsical than I would normally be.”
The song was originally going to use a vocal melody instead of horns, but it was a good choice to change things up, because the horns are next-level catchy. Meade was happy with the result, as he’s been trying to shift away from playing strictly guitar rock.
“I was listening to a bunch of Beatles stuff anyway, especially after that documentary came out last fall,” he says. “I’ve been returning to my roots, and I thought, ‘I’ve never tried horns before.’”
Lyrically, the song offers hope that we can collectively trudge past the rut that has overtaken the country the past few years. Meade struggles to find the right word for what he hopes to accomplish with the song.
“I hate to use the word ‘positive,’ because that conjures up all that sort of self-helpy, motivational crap I’ve grown to hate over the years,” he says. “But definitely more uplifting, especially with the last couple of years. I needed that.”
He adds that he didn’t want the song to be specifically about COVID or the previous president, and he wrote it before the renewed threat of World War III sprang up in Eastern Europe with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But "A Walk in the Sun" can be applicable to any of those things. In spite of how awful the torrent of bad news tends to make a sane person feel, the song carries a message of resilience.
“I just wanted it to be about the feeling,” he says. “Tolkien talks about being applicable rather than allegorical. You can apply [the song] to any of [those events], because we’ve been under a cloud for a while.”
Meade says that he came up in the punk rock, country and grunge realms of musical creation, all genres that can be a little nihilistic and angry. And he admits that there's a place for that kind of art, but personally, he feels the world has become a negative enough place on its own the past several years. For his own sanity, he needed a change and has been taking his music in a more positive direction as of late.
“The comics writer Grant Morrison talks about how what you create as a creator in a lot of ways manifests itself in your own life,” he says. “If you want a different life and you are already a creative person, you can do that by changing what it is that you are creating.”
He adds that "A Walk in the Sun" shouldn’t be misconstrued as being “toxically positive,” where one buries his head in the sand and pretends like everything is fine.
“There's a verse that is very much ‘Life is shit right now,’” Meade notes. “The chorus is ‘In the face of that, this is what we are going to do.’ You have to acknowledge the bad before you can move forward.”
The single comes out on the first day of spring, and is one of four he plans on releasing this year, each on the first day of a season. That will include an alt-country song in the vein of Jason Isbell for summer, a traditional Christmas song for winter, and another that draws from a Taylor Swift and Harry Styles kind of pop for autumn.
It can be a tad disorienting to hear Meade list his influences. The only thing that binds them is the fact that they can be loosely defined as pop acts. (And there’s really no accounting for the medieval and Renaissance music that has influenced him.)
He adds that music has become background noise for a lot of people, so it’s often more about the general vibe than about having something to say. Club music, for example, is popular right now, but no one is really going to the club to hear the music; they're going to socialize and drink cocktails. It doesn’t really matter what the music says to some audiences.
“It’s a craft that not everyone is good at,” Meade says. “It’s something we are missing nowadays. Even if you listen to what are, genre-speaking, ‘pop songs,’ some of them aren’t very good pop songs. They don’t like to write bridges anymore, or the melodies are one-octave melodies. People aren’t good at writing pop songs anymore.”
DENVER WESTWORD
Pop Singer Tony Meade Takes a Crack at Alt-Country
JOHN BEAR | JULY 9, 2021 | 5:55AM
Tony Meade has moved from pop to alt-country.
Denver singer songwriter Tony Meade tapped into '90s alt-country legends like Uncle Tupelo and its spinoffs Wilco and Son Volt for his latest single, “It’s Alright,” a different sound all together from his usual power-pop songwriting.
“It’s a departure for me personally,” he says of the new single. “I’m from West Virginia. I grew up on country. My parents listened to Conway Twitty and George Jones, Willie Nelson, all that stuff. It was a chance to sort of indulge that.”
The new song, Meade says, celebrates “the joy of leaving bad times and bad people behind and moving on to greener pastures.”
“I had left behind basically my entire social circle and just kind of cut the cord with everyone,” he says. “It’s really just about escaping a relationship, a place that is very toxic. Yes, it’s painful, but there is a sense of relief when you leave that behind.”
The single, the second of four he plans on releasing this year, is his second amble into the alt-country realm, following his 2014 original Christmas song, “A Dive Bar Christmas,” based on a classic Colfax venue.
“That was the story of my first Christmas in Colorado,” he says. “And the bar in question was the Lion's Lair. The Lion's Lair on Christmas Eve.”
Meade has released several albums of songs over the past few years, including a set of reimagined Christmas standards as well as lyrical tributes to Game of Thrones, George Lucas, J.K. Rowling and J.R.R Tolkien.
“I’m an über-nerd,” he says. “I do talks on Tolkien at Denver Comic Con and things like that. I’m that kind of person.”
Although he is poking around in country music, Meade says one of his biggest influences is mid-career U2. His favorite album of all time is Achtung Baby. He sees the album as a bridge of sorts between the early post-punk sounds of the Irish quartet and the bombastic pop music they switched to in the 1980s.
“It’s just something about that album,” he says. “It’s a weird crossroads between the sort of Joshua Tree stuff and what came later on with the electronics and experimentation and stuff like that.”
Meade says he plans on releasing two more singles this year instead of an entire album, and he wants to explore different musical styles. What that means remains to be seen, but he has some demos he has recorded, and he is currently fleshing out some ideas. He says he came up with the chord progression while watching Taylor Swift Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions.”
“I know the next one is likely going to be a duet with a female singer-songwriter I know,” he says. “That will probably be something more like Taylor Swift, more pop influenced, but definitely a ballad. It’s something I haven’t really done before.”
He’s not settled on the final song of the year but says it might have some electronic influences.
“I’ve always wanted to dip my toe in the dance world,” he says.
Meade played his first gigs in more than a year at the Boulder International Film Festival in June.
“It was great getting to play in front of other humans,” he says. "I’ve done some live streams over the previous nine months, probably a half dozen or so. It was cool, but the main thing that’s weird about it is there is no applause. That’s not an ego thing. It’s just part of the ritual. It lets you know people are there.”
Over the past few months, he has been trying to collaborate more, having recorded all the musical parts on most of his previous output with an occasional guest player. “It’s Alright” includes guess musicians from as far away as Rome.
“You can impress people at parties,” he says. “But there is a ceiling. You can’t be good at everything. You can’t be amazing at everything.”
“It’s Alright” is available at Tony Meade's website.
MusiFlo
Single Saturdays: Tony Meade – It’s Alright
musiflo | JULY 3, 2021
American singer Tony Meade has released a new single entitled It’s Alright. The song is about a bittersweet journey of moving on to the next adventure.
The music is Country. The song has a classic Country beat with a modern touch, blended nicely together in perfect harmony. It has an upbeat and bold sound. It has a Tim McGraw and Garth Brooks vibe to it that adds a nice musical spin. The guitar in the background is pleasant to hear. It reminds me of people gathering around a fire, making the song cozy and intimate. The rhythm is flowy and smooth. The composition has an incredible beat and style. It has catchy music that has a unifying feel to it.
Tony Meade’s voice is rich and husky. He sings with impressive rhythm. He hits each note perfectly, demonstrating the change of attitude and perspective.
The lyrics are dynamic and intricate. It gradually goes from heartbreak to hope as the song progresses. Freestyle writing works well in this piece because it’s about discovering the world and living life after overcoming challenges. It’s about taking charge of one’s life that has potential for adventure and discovery. There’s hope for better things to come along in this journey. The lyrics are well-written and filled with positivity, which is inspirational during hard times. The tune ends on a positive note.
The single It’s Alright is available.
VOLATILE WEEKLY
Tony Meade Drops Alt-Country Single “It’s Alright”, A Bittersweet Celebration of the Joy of Moving On
By: Jarod | JUNE 29, 2021
Tony Meade finds the bittersweet joy in breakups and fallouts in his new single “It’s Alright”.
Denver-based singer-songwriter Tony Meade has just released his new alt-country single, “It’s Alright”, on June 20th.
The second of a series of four singles set for release in 2021, the song celebrates the joy of leaving bad times, and bad people, behind and moving on to greener pastures. This is also Meade’s second foray into the alt-country world, the first since his 2014 original Christmas single, “A Dive Bar Christmas Eve”.
Along with Meade on lead vocals and rhythm guitars, the single features Denver-based musicians Joshua Skelton on lead guitar, C.J. Lewis on piano and keyboards, as well as Marylander Dan G. on bass, and Giovanni Cilio from Rome, Italy on drums.
Recorded and produced by Meade at his recording studio in Denver, the single was mixed and mastered at The Spot Studios in Evergreen, CO by producers Glenn Sawyer and Rich Veltrop.
“It’s Alright” by Tony Meade is available for sale on Bandcamp and for streaming on all platforms now.
ABOUT TONY MEADE: Tony has released three solo albums, starting with Not My Day (2010), followed by Won’t Stop Singing (2015) and Turn It Around (2020), as well as a number of standalone singles and the Christmas album, Wassail (2020).
Shake Up Your Christmas Playlist With New Colorado Music
The holidays are here, and it's time to shake up your Christmas soundtrack with some local songs.
December 21, 2020
Christmas is here, and as much as tradition matters, sometimes changing up your playlist makes the holidays more meaningful. If you're looking for new homegrown music, original songs and compelling covers alike, Denver's artists have you covered. Listen to new music from the Lumineers, Porlolo, White Rose Motor Oil, former Flash Mountain Flood bassist Derek Dames Ohl, the Infamous Stringdusters and more.
White Rose Motor Oil
Broken Heart Holiday
Alt-country band White Rose Motor Oil has released an entire home-recorded Christmas album for those who aren't so excited about the upcoming holiday. With tracks like "Broken Heart Holiday" and a cover of Dolly Parton's "Hard Candy Christmas," the album puts a fresh spin on the season. Broken Heart Holiday is available on Bandcamp.
Derek Dames Ohl
"Blue Skies and It's Christmas Time"
Former Flash Mountain Flood bassist Derek Dames Ohl dropped a Colorado-themed holiday tune this year. The folksy song was written last Christmas Eve, and Ohl hopes it comforts people during this lonely COVID-19 holiday season. Accompanied by a music video, it is the perfect homage to the state's beautiful winters. The track is available on Bandcamp.
Infamous Stringdusters
Dust the Halls: An Acoustic Christmas Holiday
Based in Denver, the Infamous Stringdusters have released their tenth studio album, Dust the Halls: An Acoustic Christmas Holiday. In November, they released "Little Drummer Boy" and "Deck the Halls," and now the acoustic album is loaded with more of your Christmas favorites. The quintet, which includes Andy Falco on guitar, Chris Pandolfi on banjo, Andy Hall on dobro, Jeremy Garrett on fiddle and Travis Book on double base, blends bluegrass and rock to get you in the holiday spirit. Dust the Halls: An Acoustic Christmas Holiday is out now on all streaming platforms.
DJ Zenas
"For the Holidayz"
Looking for hip-hop holidays? DJ Zenas, originally from Denver, just released his first Christmas song, "For the Holidayz." It's a lighthearted take on family fun, drama, games and the joys of going home — with a little God and eggnog in the mix. The song is available on Spotify.
Tony Meade
Wassail
Musician Tony Meade breaks away from traditional Christmas music with his new eighteen-track album, Wassail. Spanning genres from pop to punk, Meade arranged and recorded the music, playing instruments on all the songs himself. Even when it sounds like a full choir, that's still Meade. Wassail hit streaming platforms November 1; hear it on Spotify.
The Lumineers
"Silent Night"
The superstars in the Lumineers dropped this stirring take on "Silent Night" to help raise money for the National Independent Venue Association's emergency fund. Not only will the song remind you of the reason for the season, but it's also a chance to help keep venues alive.
Porlolo
"Christmas in Hollis"
Denver stalwart Erin Roberts, frontwoman of Porlolo, dropped this pop cover of Run D.M.C.'s "Christmas in Hollis." It's a fun song about Christmas in Queens. While indie-rock covers of classic hip-hop can be downright awkward, this is a respectful nod from one genre to another.