Margo Price invites fans to delve further into the enchanting realm of her highly acclaimed album ‘Strays’ with the anticipated release of ‘Strays II’ on October 13th. This expanded edition of the 2023 opus features nine new songs, presented in the form of three distinct acts, each weaving its own narrative of love, sorrow, and resilience. You can see Margo perform here in the UK this weekend at the Long Road festival.
In ‘Act I: Topanga Canyon’, now available via Loma Vista Recordings, Margo Price collaborates with Strays producer Jonathan Wilson, along with fresh talents including Buck Meek of Big Thief and singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Ny Oh. This segment of the album delves deeper into the sacrifices necessary to attain freedom, the determination required to persevere, and the repercussions that inevitably follow. Recorded at Wilson’s Topanga studio during the same transformative sessions that birthed the original ‘Strays’ and partly composed during a profound, six-day psilocybin journey undertaken by Margo Price and Jeremy Ivey the previous summer, the three acts of ‘Strays II’ enhance and amplify the resolute, rock-infused essence present in the initial LP from earlier this year.
An engaging three-part short film directed by Chris Phelps, previewed at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles, accompanies ‘Strays II.’ Over the coming weeks, the narrative will unfold further with the releases of Act II: Mind Travel and Act III: Burn Whatever’s Left. These nineteen tracks will culminate in the digital release of the double album on October 13th, followed by the vinyl LP release featuring the nine new ‘Strays II’ compositions on November 10th. Secure your copy through pre-order here.
Among the three new additions, Margo Price sheds light on their meanings: “The title track is the story of how my husband Jeremy and I met and fell in love in Nashville two decades ago. I wrote most of the words and Jeremy wrote the chords and melody. It also reflects how we have always tried to stay true to who we are as people: ‘Love and pain it comes in waves but it was quite enough in those early days, we were wild as wolves my darlin’, we were strays.’
‘Closer I Get’ (co-written with Jeremy Ivey) was initially intended to inaugurate this double album with the line, ‘Being alive costs a lot of money but so does dying.’ I’ve always found it unjust that from the moment we’re born, we accumulate debt merely for existing. This song was born from the ashes of our initial psychedelic journey – sometimes your perception and depth of field change depending on where you are in life.
‘Malibu,’ penned with Mike Campbell in his Malibu abode after Jeremy and I traversed the canyon to escape a forest fire and retrieve my guitar from our Airbnb, presents the essence of a country funk/Bobbie Gentry-inspired narrative. The song captures the minutiae of daily life, akin to ‘Ode to Billy Joe.’ Mike contributed the elongated ‘California’ yodel and the bridge, precisely what the song required. My favorite line is ‘love and grief are a package deal, the more you have, the more you feel.'”
In recent times, Margo Price has produced the new Jessi Colter album ‘Edge of Forever,’ orchestrated a star-studded tribute to John Prine at Newport Folk Festival, graced the stage with My Morning Jacket and Angel Olsen, celebrated Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday, engaged with critical issues through a poignant essay on gun control in Rolling Stone, advocated for change alongside Dr. Jill Biden at Nashville’s vigil for the Covenant shooting victims, secured the top spot on the Americana radio charts for 14 weeks with ‘Change of Heart,’ and collaborated with Sierra Ferrell on a new rendition of the same track.
After her eagerly awaited return to the UK this week, Margo Price and her band are primed for the autumn leg of the ‘Til The Wheels Fall Off Tour. The itinerary includes headline shows nationwide, along with appearances at renowned festivals such as Hopscotch, XPoNential, Pilgrimage, and Farm Aid. Margo Price’s unique status is further underscored by her role as the first female artist to sit on the board of directors for Farm Aid. The full list of tour dates can be found at margoprice.net/tour.
