Curtis Harvey

From the first, Curtis Harvey’s solo debut, Box Of Stones, reveals itself as quite a departure for the man best known until now as the prodigious multi-instrumentalist behind Rex and Pullman, among others. On his second solo album for FatCat, The Wheel, the prodigious multi-instrumentalist behind Rex (Southern) and Pullman (Thrill Jockey) serves up more of his languorous acoustic folk, traditional songs and campfire sing-alongs. While Harvey is loath to cite specific musical inspiration for his solo work, he admits that his first exposure to live music was an aunt and uncle’s bluegrass duo, and that records from the likes of the Carter Family and Bill Monroe, as well as contemporary neotraditionalist Gillian Welch, get a lot of airtime in his house. Though Harvey’s recorded output has been minimal since Pullman’s 2001 album Viewfinder – consisting of the sole release by the Curtis Harvey Trio, a brilliant cover of “Changes” for 2005 Black Sabbath cover compilation Everything Comes And Goes and a Pullman song for Thrill Jockey’s 2007 anniversary compilation – Harvey explains that he’s never stopped recording or writing music, despite the break from making records. Harvey has been playing songs from this record live since early 2006, sharing stages with Califone, David Grubbs, Chris Brokaw, and labelmates Mice Parade, Tom Brosseau, Gregory & The Hawk, and Silje Nes. Curtis Harvey’s recorded output tracks him through seminal bands Rex and Pullman through the 90's and early 00s, and his solo career, starting in 2009.