Magoo Release 'What A life' Album
(BHM) Denver, CO-based bluegrass quartet Magoo share long-awaited debut record What A Life out everywhere now alongside the spiritual title track that sinks into gratitude and acknowledges life's fleeting moments.
In celebration of the album, the band is in the midst of an extensive U.S tour, plus a recent sold out show in Chicago and a hometown show in April in Denver that sold out four months in advance at the Bluebird Theater. Mirroring the hype around the record, the band recently played a special in-store acoustic set at Nashville's famed Third Man Records which sold out in under 30 minutes. This weekend, the group will play WinterWonderGrass, will several more festivals ahead like Electric Forest, Northlands Music & Arts Festival, Bourbon & Beyond, and more.
The album's title track, says mandolinist Courtlyn Bills, "is a spiritual conversation." He continues, "Using the main character's grandfather as an inspiration of thought, the main premise of this song is realizing that life comes to an end and when you see opportunities, you gotta take them."
Last month, the band shared "Can't You Hear That Train", a fast-paced, acoustic guitar-driven acceptance of a love that parts ways. Five years in the making, guitarist Erik Hill says, "'Can't You Hear That Train' started as a classic train song-Your girl is leaving on a train and there's nothing you can do about it. I wrote it about five years ago and just let it sit." After playing it live, it all clicked, and continues to be a live set highlight. "When I pulled it back out last Spring and played it for the band, that's when it really came alive and the jam found its way in. We always have a lot of fun playing the song live."
In November, the band shared "Angel of Telluride" featuring Sam Bush, one of the originators of progressive bluegrass music. Bills adds, "Inspired by real events, 'Angel of Telluride' is a story about meeting someone and falling in love at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival."
The band is thrilled to now introduce themselves with a debut project that honors the roots of bluegrass while pushing the genre forward. With soaring instrumentals and heartfelt lyricism, the concise ten track record, What A Life, is adventurous, spirited and expansive, mastered by GRAMMY-winning engineer, David Glasser (Grateful Dead). The album has already received praise from leading publications like Bluegrass Today, Nashville.com, Americana Highways and more.
Magoo is made up of Dylan Flynn (dobro), who won the 2024 RockyGrass Dobro Competition, Erik Hill (guitar), the runner-up in the RockyGrass Flatpicking Contest, Courtlyn Bills (mandolin), Denton Turner (bass). Their recent festival appearances at WinterWonderGrass, The Big What? and Smalltown For The Cause among many more have cemented the group as an exciting one to watch as they fearlessly lead the new generation of bluegrass. Later this year, they'll take the stage at a host of other festivals like Rooster Walk, ROMP, Blue Ox, and High Sierra, Grand Targhee Bluegrass, Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Festival, BajaWonderGrass and more. With two EPs out, a handful of singles and several sold out shows under their belts, the group is delighted to finally share a body of work that calls on their roots while pioneering new paths.
Stream or purchase the album here
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