The low-hanging gloam of America’s Pacific Northwest is a distinct presence; it traces treetops and seeps between ridges, regularly enchanting the landscape. Jeffrey Silverstein, one half of ambient folk duo Nassau and a relatively new resident of Portland, is a quick study to the region and its atmosphere. He wrote and recorded his debut solo EP in a Ford motorhome-turned-studio nestled on the coast of Washington during a week-long residency. The five songs linger for longer, understated in delivery but rich with purpose; an apt addition to the ever-mindful Driftless Recordings catalog.
Today, Silverstein shares the second single from How On Earth, which coincides with the birthday of the song’s inspiration, his late grandmother. Further, “Finds You Well” is paired with a mix. He introduces both, below.
“This tune is for my grandmother, Ruth Silverstein, a strong, resourceful, and deeply caring woman. In August, on the last day of driving across the country with my wife to relocate to PDX, I got the call that she had passed. We were on our way to beginning a new chapter of our life – she was doing just the same. It felt like she was coming along for the ride. She always told me, ‘if you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything.’ I always took that to heart and wanted to write a song that honored her spirit.”
“Portland, Oregon has felt like home faster than any city I’ve ever lived in. I am consistently in awe and am grateful for the access to nature that exists inside city limits and the Pacific Northwest at large. Being able to see Mt. Hood from different vantage points is comforting and a consistent reminder of our connection to the natural world. For this mix, I chose songs made primarily from artists who live or have lived in the PNW. The first tune, Yo La Tengo’s ‘Leaving Home’ comes from the soundtrack to Old Joy, one of my favorite road movies of all time. It is entirely shot in the Cascade Mountain range and stars Will Oldham. Thought it would serve as a nice entry point to the rest of the music. Hope you enjoy. Be easy.”
Yo La Tengo – Leaving Home
Grails – Canyon Hymn
Barry Walker – Ediacaran Moonrise
Grouper – Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping
Benoît Pioulard – Foxtail
The Langley Schools Music Project – God Only Knows (The Beach Boys)
Michael Hurley – I Stole the Right to Live
Gun Outfit – Landscape Painter
Lake – Breathing
The Microphones – I Felt My Size [Acoustic]
Karl Blau – Thats How I Got to Memphis
Shelley Short – Hills And Tracks
Marisa Anderson – Pulse
Eternal Tapestry – Ancient Echoes
Jeffrey Silverstein – All Hands Raised
Jackie-O Motherfucker – Hey Mr. Sky
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