In a time where everyone is in their homes waiting for the coronavirus to blow over, lots of music is being played and a lot of the time, music fans want something they can relate to. For Chicago native Steve Dawson, he unintentionally created an eerily relatable album “Last Flight Out.” This is Dawson’s first album since the release of his 2014 album ‘Funeral Bonsai Wedding.’
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This seven-track album is a progression that speaks of serious situations and a roller coaster of depression and positivity. “The song begins the album and the album is a progression,” says Dawson. “Last Flight Out” is the moment that the truth sinks in and the enormity of the situation takes hold. The album moves through, “Mastodons,” a song about slipping in and out of depression and listlessness as a reaction, and then into the centerpiece of the album, “However Long It Takes,” a song about choosing to see kindness and goodness in the world despite being fully aware of the darkness around us. “I will be filled with love,” is the chant-like refrain.” With darkness continuing to consume the world at a drastic pace, we can look to albums like this for comfort.
With the album also comes a music video for title track “Last Flight Out.”
“I wrote the song “Last Flight Out” a few years ago as the sociopathic reality TV star was first stumbling around the White House. The phrase was a suggestion from an online songwriting group. I liked the sound of the words and the feeling of being stranded that it evoked. I never imagined that the song would resonate so much with the current pandemic. It was a fever dream, a metaphor, a sci-fi scenario that we now are all living. The song ends with the line, “God bless us, everyone.” and while I am not a religious person I find myself making this wish every day now.”
Although the majority of musicians have had their shows canceled and postponed, Dawson is still playing and album release party with Funeral Bonsai Wedding, Quartet Parapluie, the Birth Death Singers, and Louis Bardales at Old Town School of Folk Music at Maurer Hall in Chicago on May 8th. To see a complete list of dates and possible cancellations, visit him at SteveDawsonmusic.com.
The music video for “Last Flight Out” is available on YouTube.com today!
If you like what you hear, check out his livesteam from Facebook.
