Acclaimed Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and painter Grant-Lee Phillips shares “Little Men,” the third single unveiled from his 12th solo album, In the Hour of Dust, out September 5 on Yep Roc Records.
Of “Little Men,” Phillips offers: “Some of the oldest and most enduring songs in the American Songbook are those that express the longing for freedom. It tells us a great deal about the founding of our country and the denial of freedom from its very outset. All these years later, such aspirations are still not guaranteed. This is a song of freedom – a spiritual, based on a firm belief in humanity.”
The self-produced album is inspired by a painting from India discovered while wandering the Norton Simon Art Museum in Pasadena, CA, and the evocative Indian concept of ‘the hour of cow dust’–“It’s that moment of the day when the cows are led back home, they kick up the dust; that’s a cue to prepare the lamps. Night is about to fall,” says Phillips, who is at his most introspective and poetic, channeling his visual and musical sensibilities into a striking meditation on disconnection and grace. “The mood on this album is contemplative,” says Phillips. “It’s about trying to find meaning in an age of confusion, feeling your way through the blinding dust of unreality.”
Known for his cinematic lyricism and atmospheric arrangements, In the Hour of Dust spans universal and personal themes. “Bullies,” co-written with pianist Jamie Edwards-the first co-write to appear on any of Phillips’ albums-channels his experience as an outsider into a defiant anthem of resilience. Previously released singles, “Closer Tonight,” reflects on uneasy feelings about this moment and “She Knows Me,” “an acknowledgment of the fears and insecurities that come knocking in the late hours. And being thankful that there’s someone who knows me, better than I do myself at times,” offer Phillips, while “Did You Make It Through the Night Okay” draws Phillips’ heritage as an enrolled citizen of the Muskogee (Creek) Nation, reflecting on hardship and survival.
Written and recorded between his home studio in Nashville and Lucy’s Meat Market in Eagle Rock, CA, In the Hour of Dust features intimate solo recordings and collaborative sessions with longtime friends and acclaimed musicians: Jay Bellerose (drums), Jennifer Condos (bass), and Patrick Warren (keyboards). “I don’t see songs of love and songs of protest as being so far apart, really,” Phillips reflects. “It’s all about recognizing the value of connection in a disconnected time.”
Since his early days as the frontman of Grant Lee Buffalo, through his role as the town troubadour on Gilmore Girls to his prolific solo career, Phillips has established himself as one of America’s most consistent and compelling songwriters. His distinctive voice, poetic lyrics, and masterful musicianship have earned him a dedicated following and critical praise across multiple decades.
This fall, Phillips will hit the road in support of the new album with U.S. and U.K. tours beginning in September in the Northeast with a November West Coast run, including just announced shows in Seattle and Portland. Tour dates in the UK, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Finland are on tap throughout the fall and winter.
