Kanoka by Switchback
Spread out a map of the United States and pick out the states that are generally considered the Heartland or the Middle West or the Old Northwest or more commonly the Midwest. These are the states from which the great American prairie sprang. These are the industrial states, the rust-belt states, the Corn Belt states. The great Mississippi River cleaves through the middle of this heartland. It is in this land where the farmer, the Native American, the lumberman, the boatman, the train engineer, the industrialist, and the immigrant merged and formed what is considered “the true American.” It is from this land that the music of Switchback is drawn. Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack have been playing their brand of Americana music for almost a quarter of a century. The two claim the Midwest as their home. Indeed, the Grammy-winning producer Lloyd Maines considers the duo one of the most important acts playing Americana music today.
Switchback's 10-year collaboration with Maines has resulted in the breathtaking album "Kanoka.” With the soaring pedal steel of Maines along with the boxcar-hopping harmonica of Chicago's own Howard Levy, Switchback has created a musical journey that will make every Midwesterner proud of the heartland and every non-Midwesterner longing for it.
Tracklist
| 1. | Southbound Train | 1:35 |
| 2. | Kanoka | 5:23 |
| 3. | Pour Me | 6:04 |
| 4. | Dog Days | 1:12 |
| 5. | Van Tassel | 4:04 |
| 6. | Rope As I'm Riding | 4:48 |
| 7. | Wrong You Can Write | 4:24 |
| 8. | Water Through Sand | 3:12 |
| 9. | Midnight Crossing | 1:08 |
| 10. | High Plains Killers | 6:44 |
| 11. | Boxcar View | 1:06 |
| 12. | Rocky Mountain Express | 3:15 |
| 13. | I'll Be Damned | 5:53 |
| 14. | Bottom Of The Bottle Of Beer | 5:00 |
| 15. | One Way Dream | 1:22 |
Credits
Bass and vocals: Martin McCormack
Guitar and vocals: Brian FitzGerald
Drums and percussion: Jim Hines
Pedal steel, dobro and rhythm guitar: Lloyd Maines
Harmonica: Howard Levy
Percussion and vocals: Keith Riker
Album Sponsor: Dr. Mary Ellen Mitchanis
Executive Producer: Lloyd Maines
Produced by Switchback & Mike Hagler
Engineered by Mike Hagler
Recorded and mastered at Kingsize Studios, Chicago, IL
Keith Riker recorded at Studio at Bear Creek, Evergreen, CO
Photos by Jim Sundberg, Elizabeth Harvey
Album art by Erik Sundberg, Jim Sundberg
© 2013 WayGood Publishing/ASCAP
All lyrics by FitzGerald and McCormack
with exception of Bottom of the Bottle of Beer with Sean Cronin and High Plains Killers with Keith Riker
Switchback® is a registered trademark of WayGood Productions, LLC, registered in the U.S.
License
All rights reserved.Tags
As seen on PBS, Switchback’s music is energetic, soulful and versatile, combining elements of Americana-country, rock and Celtic. Showcasing a repertoire ranging from sentimental ballads to blistering rockers, Switchback’s superb songwriting and harmonies gained the attention of Grammy-winner Lloyd Maines, who chose to produce 3 of their albums.