From the despair and isolation of Covid-19, Americana heartland-rocker John Calvin was able to find a silver lining. “Rest of My Roads” is the opening track from John’s upcoming album, Greener Fields & Fairer Seas due out on the 24th January, 2025. It’s a song about coming to terms with one’s mortality, and we’re delighted to be premiering it ahead of its release on Thursday.
There’s an evocative richness that permeates “Rest of My Roads”. Calvin has leaned into a full orchestral composition on this one. It kicks off with organ and piano, building with an interplay between his heartfelt vocals and a genuinely world-class brass section. A trumpet solo that could be lifted from a classic symphony, followed by a saxophone solo that reminds me of classic Springsteen, is among the delights of this one. It may be questioning one’s mortality, but it’s uplifting and forward-looking – “We’re sowing those seeds / Just to watch ‘em grow.”. There’s a depth and complexity to the lyrics and composition that leaves you wanting to dig deeper.
About the track, John told the AU: For me, “Rest of My Roads” is really where lyrics, composition, and production come together in an engaging way. At its core, the song’s a reflection on struggling with COVID in the early days of the pandemic, but I always try to leave those lyrics broad, vague, maybe just directional — leave space for the listener and their interpretation.
When I took the song to Nate Campisi for production, he and Greg DeCarolis (bass, Hammond organ, piano, OB-8 synth) heard a lot of The Band in the composition and I couldn’t have agreed more. We all shared a love of The Band and their fun, idiosyncratic take on songwriting and composition. So, Nate and Greg really set the tone for the tune and Eric DeFade rounded out our approach with brass arrangements that somehow have beautiful depth while simultaneously just lifting everything.
This is also my favorite performance by Kelsey Jumper. Her voice is so smooth and there are layers upon layers of harmonics in what she’s doing. She has a polish that compliments my gruff self. For me, there’s always something to be said for complexity and contradiction if it’s dosed properly. And Nate did a great job of that with the mix and direction on Kelsey’s background vocals.
Having children was a grounding experience for me. I must have been directionless before, because my priorities have been pretty clear since they were born, to explore the world around us with curiosity and kindness and always with them in tow. And the beauty is, we’ve had so many wonderful experiences since “Rest of My Roads” was written. I’d like to think that I’ve become a better person since then, though maybe I have and maybe I haven’t. But I do know that I feel as close to my kids as a parent can feel. And that’s really the wish beneath the surface of “Rest of My Roads.”
Calvin’s forthcoming album, Greener Fields & Fairer Seas, is the follow up to his 2018 debut album, Masquerade Monday. With a parent in the armed forces, Calvin spent his childhood moving from town to town every two years. From down the East Coast, to South Korea, to Germany, to living near the Pentagon for high school, his life experiences have undoutedly shaped his creative output. He has now settled in South Florida with his family in Boca Raton.
Enjoy our premiere of “Rest of My Roads” ahead of its release this Thursday.
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Header image credit: John Fusco
