Scout Durwood Releases New Covers Album WOMAN LOVE via Blue Élan Records
The ten-track covers collection features songs by Melissa Etheridge, Led Zeppelin and Tom Waits.
Scout Durwood has released a new album, WOMAN LOVE, via Blue Elan Records, marking her third collaboration with the Kirk Pasich Project. The ten-song covers collection is led by the focus track 'I've Been Loving You Too Long' and draws from artists including Melissa Etheridge, Jill Sobule, Led Zeppelin and Tom Waits, bringing together songs Durwood says are connected by themes of power and resilience rather than genre.
'I wanted to take songs that may not have been originally linked by genre and unite them with a cohesive narrative of power and strength,' Durwood explains. 'Part of our selection process when choosing tracks was, 'is this something that sparks resilience? Would I march to it in a revolution?''
That idea runs through Woman Love, which Durwood describes as a 'celebration of joy as political defiance.' The first song chosen was the Burton Cummings original, 'Woman Love,' suggested by Kirk Pasich. Pasich thought this song would set the tone for the rest of the album. The remaining songs were selected not simply because they are familiar, but because of the role they have played in Durwood's life and in the way she approaches performance, storytelling and character.
The album follows Durwood's 2022 EP One Woman Army and, as Durwood says, is 'something of a sequel.' It also continues a relationship with Blue Elan that began in 2017 with Take One Thing Off, a hybrid comedy and music album that later became a 22-episode digital series. Her subsequent double EPs Comedy Electronica Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 became the foundation for her feature-length narrative visual album Youtopia, which Durwood wrote and directed.
With Woman Love, Durwood wanted the songs to stand on their own.
'I think for a long time my goal was to put everything that I do together in one room, which is why my original music was so deeply rooted in comedy,' she says. 'With Woman Love, and even One Woman Army before that, my goal was to let the music take on its own theatricality and focus on the songs rather than trying to impose a narrative on top of them.'
Recorded in Los Angeles over five days, the album was produced by Zachary Ross and Kirk Pasich. The recording process was intentionally immediate. The band came into the sessions without knowing what songs they would be playing. Ross would establish a tone with reference tracks before revealing the song, allowing the musicians to discover the arrangements in the room.
'We wanted to showcase a genuine process of discovery, rather than pre-meditated arrangements,' Durwood says. 'There were so many times in the studio where we'd listen back to a track and someone in the band would be like, 'dang, we did that.' We moved so fast, there wasn't a ton of time to process or plan, which can be a really beautiful way to tackle the creative process given the proper circumstances.'
Joining Durwood on Woman Love is an all-star studio band featuring Jordan West (Grace Potter, Cam) on drums, bassist Kurtis Keber (Grace Potter, Aly & AJ), Ty Bailie (Katy Perry) on organ and acoustic/electric piano, and Philip Glenn (The Show Ponies, Psychic Temple) on fiddle, violin, mandolin and accordion. Backing vocals come from Maiya Sykes (Leona Lewis, Rita Ora) and Nick Jackson.
For Durwood, Woman Love is another chapter in a career that has never fit neatly into one category. A cabaret singer, writer and director, she has built her work around the combination of music, performance and words. On this record, she lets the songs take the lead.
About Scout Durwood
Scout Durwood is a cabaret comedian, writer, director, and performer known for her high-energy musicality, sharp wit, and bold visual storytelling. Her debut album Take One Thing Off, released with Blue Elan Records, was paired with a 22-episode digital series she wrote and directed, earning over 275,000 YouTube views and a 2019 Streamy Award nomination for Best Indie Series. She later created the feature-length visual album Youtopia, which premiered at Outfest 2022 and received an Honorable Mention for the Grand Jury Prize. Scout has also appeared as a series regular on MTV's Mary + Jane, gaining praise from major outlets for her standout performance. With roots in New York's cabaret and nightlife scene, she continues to bring her dynamic presence to stage and screen, most recently starring in Spiegelworld's The Hook in Atlantic City.
About The Kirk Pasich Project
The Kirk Pasich Project is a collaborative music venture created to bring innovative production ideas to life through partnerships with a wide range of talented artists. Drawing inspiration from classic concept-driven projects, it aims to provide a platform where different musicians can be featured in a distinctive studio environment. Founder Kirk Pasich combines his deep passion for music with a background in entertainment law and artist advocacy, shaping a project that prioritizes creativity and artist-friendly values. His experience working with legendary musicians and supporting music-related causes informs the project's mission to celebrate artistry and community. Ultimately, the Kirk Pasich Project offers listeners a fresh and immersive music discovery experience rooted in collaboration and exploration.
WOMAN LOVE follows Durwood's 2022 EP One Woman Army and continues her relationship with Blue Elan Records, which began with the 2017 release Take One Thing Off. The album was recorded in Los Angeles over five days and produced by Zachary Ross and Kirk Pasich, with a studio band that includes Jordan West, Kurtis Keber, Ty Bailie and Philip Glenn.
