New EP available now for pre-order and releases officially January 22
With music spanning for more than two decades, singer, songwriter, author, and New Zealand native Phil Joel returns to the spotlight with his latest album, Better Than I Found It, available beginning January 22. The six-song EP was written, recorded, and produced entirely by Joel in his home studio during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. The album is available now for pre-order.
“I’d felt for quite a while that I needed to take some time and musically get back to simply making art, but I didn’t know how I was going to make it happen,” Joel shares. “Well, 2020 made it happen for me. In March, we got word that touring was off until further notice, so I went home and locked myself away in my studio. It put me in a position to have to make production decisions alone and create a sound that’s truly me.”
“I’d felt for quite a while that I needed to take some time and musically get back to simply making art, but I didn’t know how I was going to make it happen,” Joel shares. “Well, 2020 made it happen for me. In March, we got word that touring was off until further notice, so I went home and locked myself away in my studio. It put me in a position to have to make production decisions alone and create a sound that’s truly me.”
Official cover art for Phil Joel's new EP album, "Better Than I Found It," available now. (Courtesy of Fair Trade Music)
Kicking off on a catchy note – the collection of songs finds Joel opening on a variety of timely topics, including the embrace of a simpler life; seeking unity in a divided nation; offering comfort for the hurting; and mending broken relationships.
“The idea of us all taking responsibility to care for our fellow man, our nation and our planet has really been in the forefront of my mind for the last couple of years, so recording these songs now seemed like perfect timing,” Joel says. “Right now, we’re all being forced to think about the future and what kind of world we want to live in, not only for ourselves and our kids, but for our neighbors and their kids and grandkids too. It’s a time to ask some big questions about where we are and how we got here. But more importantly, it’s about who we want to be as we move into this delicate new future. I’ve tried to explore those questions and reflect the struggles they pose, while also presenting the hope of a better tomorrow.”
“The idea of us all taking responsibility to care for our fellow man, our nation and our planet has really been in the forefront of my mind for the last couple of years, so recording these songs now seemed like perfect timing,” Joel says. “Right now, we’re all being forced to think about the future and what kind of world we want to live in, not only for ourselves and our kids, but for our neighbors and their kids and grandkids too. It’s a time to ask some big questions about where we are and how we got here. But more importantly, it’s about who we want to be as we move into this delicate new future. I’ve tried to explore those questions and reflect the struggles they pose, while also presenting the hope of a better tomorrow.”
Additional song to watch out for include, “In This Together,” “Sailing Speed,” and “Alright.” The EP is available now to pre-order and pre-save.
Learn more about Phil Joel at philjoel.com.
ATR News Chief Digital Editor Thomas Lineweaver in Nashville, TN contributed to this report.
Learn more about Phil Joel at philjoel.com.
ATR News Chief Digital Editor Thomas Lineweaver in Nashville, TN contributed to this report.
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