The Californer - E.G. Phillips' "Wear and Tear" — Anthemic Love, Atmospheric Folk, and Geology

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Latest volume of songwriter's "Nashville Recordings" series blends traditional folk music with progressive rock

SAN FRANCISCO - Californer -- The title of E.G. Phillips' latest collection of songs derives from a song that ultimately didn't make the cut — though Americana/roots duo "The Ten Thousand Ways" did a wonderful rendition of "Normal Wear and Tear" a while back at the Lost Church in San Francisco for the second installment of the Bay Area troubadour's (mostly) annual birthday show. Still, Phillips grew rather attached to the moniker— it being the theme around he had in mind when he put together this set of songs.

"I am sort of pulling a Traveling Wilbury here in that although it's called Volume 4, it's only the second release in the 'Nashville Recordings' series. Don't worry, Volume 3 is on the way" explains Phillips. As for Volume 2, he says that's up to the true fans to suss out.

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This volume opens with "Unfinished Love" which began its life in an unfinished furniture store and became an anthemic love song using dramatically shifting keys as it plays with the notion as to what constitutes a love being "unfinished." The second piece is a dark romantic ballad that E.G. maintains is not at all about Taylor Swift. "I think she would have been about 12 when I wrote it" Phillips sighs and adds, with a wink, "I don't know how these rumors get started."

The centerpiece of the EP is "These Are Burning Days" which starts as a traditional dirge, using ominous repetition and filled with gothic, apocalyptic imagery depicting the horrific beauty and chaos of wine country wildfires. It then explodes into a progressive rocker as the "chaotic winds" turn this slow burn into a raging inferno. Amberly Rosin's mystic violin sears and mimics the horses forced to break loose and flee their stables.

The closing track, a bouncy country blues ditty called "Accretion Blues" owes it existence in part to the fact Phillips is son of a geographer, and has a degree in geography himself. Ultimately the inspiration came from something Bud Scoppa wrote about Simon and Garfunkel's album "Bookends" — "the record is a meditation on the passage of life and the psychological impact of life's irreversible, ever-accumulating losses" — accumulating losses — accretions, if you would.

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E.G. Phillips comes from a country called the Midwest. His style could be described as "jazz infused alternative Americana." "Ducks With Pants" is the name of his fake band. It is also how he can be found online.

"Nashville Recordings Vol. 4: Wear and Tear" releases November 20th, 2024. Produced by Kenny Schick (b3pmusic) and published by Ducks With Pants Music, the EP will be available on Spotify and all major music streaming platforms.