Album Notes

David Brusie returns with his second record, Flyover State, which resonates with the same folk fragility and pop sensibilities that made his debut a fan favorite. The new album possesses incredible breadth, showcasing short, classic folk-pop gems.

More than anything else, the album highlights David’s evolution as an artist. Recording started in the fall of 2006, though many of the songs were written in late 2004 and early 2005, shortly after his father passed away and David was in the midst of a cross-country move with his wife. As he wrote songs about his dad’s passing, it was clear that much of the record would focus on loss and the mourning process itself. It also became clear that some songs ("Spaceman" and "Everything Is Different," for example) had nothing whatsoever to do with death, resulting in an incredibly personal album with universal flourishes and touches of unexpected humor.

A major theme of this record is dislocation, both physically and mentally. The American Midwest is vastly different from the small town New England of David’s youth, and arriving there so soon after his father's death had a profound impact. Despite the circumstances, the experience wasn’t entirely negative, and writing these songs in Minnesota was a great exercise. Accordingly, many of these songs sound different from what David’s written before both in subject matter and overall production.

Drummer Jesse Fox and bassist Simon Hutchinson, who David knew from college, provide the rhythm section on Flyover State. They recorded their parts from afar – Simon in Tokyo and Jesse in Portland, Oregon - and ended up making changes that were integral to the final songs. In the chorus of "Fort Wayne," for example, Jesse cuts the rhythm in half, slowing things down a bit. David hadn't planned on this, but he admits it was a huge improvement. Producer Josh Baesler, a professional singer and musician, also made significant contributions to songs.

Flyover State is not to be missed.