Today we’re delighted to share the latest from Billy Shaddox, I Melt, I Howl, out on June 16.
It’s a majestic blend of soul-stirring Americana and dreamy pop harmonies. The album opens with the lilting and locomotive “I Melt, I Howl.” It’ll have you howling along with it’s catchy vocal and riffin’ guitar.
Other favorites on the album include the banjo-based “Feels Like Home,” and the pickin’ and kickin’ track “Golden Coast.”
The entire collection feels openly optimistic with a light and airy instrumentation that feels like sunshine and clean sheets.
From the delicately delivered “Who You Were” to the straight on rock of “Telescope,” I Melt, I Howl shares some magnificent musicianship and a solid sense of self.
Shaddox shares, “The songs on this album collectively tell the story of the last few years of my life. There’s an intimate thread that weaves them together and lets the listener into my experiences. I’m really excited to share these songs with the release of this album.”
Listen now:
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Shaddox has embarked on a musical journey that’s led to two independently recorded releases and performances on the same stages with rock and folk legends. For the first time, though, Shaddox trusted his vision with an outsider, enlisting producer-extraordinaire Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Lake Street Dive, David Wax Museum) to record at the Great North Sound Society studio in Maine. “I’m a big fan of his work,” says Shaddox. “And it was great having somebody else’s ideas and vision at work. It made me really open to change.”
As a result, I Melt, I Howl captures a wide-range of influences that transcend Shaddox’s folk roots, from the pop sensibility of the title track to the harmonica-fueled closer “Not Easy Anymore.”
“I don’t think of myself as a folk musician, as I’m sometimes labeled,” he says. “My dad was in a bluegrass band, and he was a big influence on me, but I was really steeped in the sounds of country and rock. For me, it’s really about honoring the styles of the past, but taking it a new level and making them my own.”
A passionate sportsman, Shaddox found inspiration for I Melt, I Howl under life-altering circumstances; following a mountain accident that shattered his pelvis. “All I wanted to do after that was be mobile and run,” reveals the singer-songwriter. “So that song and album title is about opening up your heart so big and taking what the world gives you. Howling: it’s the greatest physical action you can do. It’s about letting your voice out and showing the world what you’re made of.”
Shaddox will be hitting the road to tour in support of his latest artist showing. See dates here and more at www.billyshaddox.com
Jun 17 – Denver, CO – Herman's Hideaway
Jun 18 – Grand Junction, CO – Radio Room
Jun 19 – Eagle, CO – Brush Creek Saloon
Jun 20 – El Jebel, CO – The Black Nugget
Jun 27 – Estes Park, CO – The Rock Inn
Jul 10 – San Diego, CA – The Whistle Stop
Jul 11 – San Rafael, CA – Terrapin Crossroads
Jul 12 – Novato, CA – HopMonk
Jul 14 – San Francisco, CA – Doc's Lab
Jul 15 – Mariposa, CA – The Hideout
Jul 17 – Chico, CA – The Maltese
Jul 23 – Park City, UT – Silver Star Cafe
Jul 24 – Kemmerer, WY – Oyster Ridge Music Festival
Acoustic Nation is written by Laura B. Whitmore, a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, who has contributed to Parade.com, Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
