Michael Lee & The Wartime Limousine Release New Single DROWNING
The Fort Worth band recorded the album live with collaborators tied to Khruangbin and Bastards of Soul.
Michael Lee & The Wartime Limousine has announced their self-titled debut album, due out October 30 via Skylark Soul Co. Known for his dazzling musicianship and a fiery blues growl that once earned him a stint fronting the late B.B. King's touring ensemble, the Fort Worth-based singer/guitarist and his band put a bold 21st-century spin on the funky, horn-fueled sounds of vintage soul music for a body of work about the many ups and downs of love.
Along with the news, Michael Lee & The Wartime Limousine shares their new single 'Drowning,' a deceptively bouncy ode to resilience in the face of adversity.
Michael on the new single: 'I've been down this road myself, so this one comes from a very real, heavy place. It's about that 'come to Jesus' moment you eventually have to face when you're caught up in your own debauchery. It's the harsh realization that no one else is coming to save you, and you have to do the hard work of purging your soul to save yourself.'
The foundation for the songs on the self-titled debut was cut live in the studio with Michael, keyboardists Chad Stockslager (Joshua Ray Walker) and Jordache Grant (Abraham Alexander), pedal steel player and frequent Khruangbin collaborator Will Van Horn, as well as bassist Daniel Balis and drummer Matt Trimble (Bastards of Soul), all playing together and recording at Niles City Sound - an esteemed Fort Worth studio best known for launching Leon Bridges' career over a decade ago. The end result blends everything from Motown to psychedelic soul as the bandleader showcases his versatility with a keen sense of restraint and vulnerability.
'It should be easy, being in a relationship, at least that's what the matriarchs of my family always told me,' says Michael. 'I've never had that until now. From the lyrics to the musical choices on this album, there is an overall sense of ease that I'd say stems from the love I have with my wife.'
After teaching himself how to play guitar as a teenager and cutting his teeth in the local Texas blues music scene, Michael's showmanship caught the attention of NBC's The Voice where he earned a three-chair turn and a spot on Blake Shelton's team, thanks to his viral take on B.B. King's 'The Thrill Is Gone.' Instead of stepping into the country star's Nashville wheelhouse, he stuck to his Texas blues roots and that experience led to the crooner recording the song with The B.B. King Blues Band for a tribute album with the likes of Taj Mahal and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Following that studio session, the King band invited Michael on the road with them in 2019 - it was a dream gig that was halted early by the pandemic, but the experience was invaluable.
That time on the road gave him the momentum to jumpstart The Wartime Limousine, whose name comes from a WWII reference, once again tying into Michael's intense love of an era from before the time he was born. An old soul at heart, his affinity for this music serves as a natural foundation for writing about one of the most relatable human experiences. 'The core of this album is love, lost and won,' says Michael. 'Understanding everything, we'll be fine! I want people to experience that optimism and resilience through the music, and hopefully even find themselves in these stories of old love lost and new love found.'
On September 17, Michael will be treating folks to the new music at Visit Fort Worth's Cowtown GitDown event at Tennessee Brew Works, as part of this year's AMERICANAFEST in Nashville.
Tracklist
1. Starlight
2. We'll Be Fine
3. Drowning
4. You and I
5. Caught It
6. Lesser Than A Better Man
7. End of the Line
8. Outta My Head
9. Living High
10. I Am Yours
Photo Credit: William Neal
Photo Credit: William Neal
