Tift Merritt - Traveling Alone

Singer/songwriter extraordinaire Tift Merritt has straddled alt-country and folk-pop over the course of four fine studio albums including her most recent 2010 release See You On the Moon, produced by Tucker Martine (The Decemberists, Laura Veirs). New album Traveling Alone (October 2, Yep Roc) again teams Merritt and Martine along with a stellar band including Marc Ribot (Tom Waits), John Convertino (Calexico), Eric Heywood (Ray LaMonagne) and longtime collaborator Jay Brown. Looking to capture the immediacy of an "off the floor" live-in-studio recording, the album was recorded in Brooklyn in just eight days and with minimal post-production. “I really wanted to make a record that was real and raw,” notes Merritt. “I wanted to put together my dream cast and see if I could hold my own with them." As with all of her projects, the songwriting on Traveling Alone combines aching emotional resonance with melodies that sound both classic and fresh; for an example, check out the album's title track in the finished album version as well as the original demo version (below). Stream the full album here.

Tift Merritt - "Traveling Alone" (from the album Traveling Alone)

Tift Merritt - "Sweet Spot" (from the album Traveling Alone)

Tift Merritt - "Traveling Alone" (Demo)