The lyrics and melody to Cumulus’ latest single came to Alexandra Lockhart as she struggled to calm her frayed nerves. “I was singing to myself and thinking about a list of things that make me feel more connected to myself—things that make me feel grounded again,” says Lockhart. “It’s a reminder to take care of myself, and I thought this could be a reminder to others, too.”
For seven years, Lockhart has been self-soothing with fellow Seattle singer/songwriter William Cremin under the indie-pop auspices of Cumulus. They’re set to release their fourth LP, We’ve Got It All, via Share It Music on April 18. Lockhart was looking to make a record inspired by some her favorite singer/songwriters: Jason Molina, Damien Jurado, Katie Crutchfield and Lucinda Williams, to name a few. Cumulus first brought in Aaron Guest (Polecat, Jenner Fox Band) on piano and guitar to help flesh out the arrangements of the new tunes, eventually adding bassist John Van Deusen (Lonely Forest) and drummer Aaron Ball (Dryland). Tracking for the album took all of six days, most of it at the Unknown, a recording studio housed in a former Catholic church in Anacortes, Wash.
“Welcome Back To Me” is a prime example of the album’s organic evolution. “The song was tracked live with all of us in a circle on the floor of the church,” says Lockhart. “When I first brought the song to William and Aaron, Aaron added a beautiful fingerpicking melody underneath that helped build on my idea of it putting the listener into a trance—almost like a repeating mantra. I wanted the song to be like a lullaby for adults, and we nailed the vibe with two guitars and bass.”
We’re proud to premiere Cumulus’ “Welcome Back To Me.”
—Hobart Rowland
See Cumulus live.
