VanSant announces soph album

VanSant occupies a musical space that incorporates folk and roots sounds.

The Baltimore singer released the song "Something Real" yesterday and its accompanying music video, filmed on the Chesapeake Bay near VanSant's grandfather's old house with VanSant's friends and giant dog in tow.

The song came to VanSant at a moment when she was feeling cynical about music and life in general. "I was at Kerrville Folk Festival not long after the death of a beloved songwriter named Jimmy LaFave," says VanSant. "And although I never met him, I was amazed to feel how much his energy was still moving through the world as people sang his songs around campfires."

"So I created the video with that kind of joy in mind."

Neilson Hubbard (Mary Gauthier, Caroline Spence) produced at Skinny Elephant Recording in East Nashville. Entering the studio with the intention of recording a two-song EP, at the end of a week's worth of recording, VanSant walked away with a nine-song album. Many of the songs were recorded live in two or three takes with a trio of studio musicians-Will Kimbrough, Michael Rinne (Miranda Lambert) and Juan Solorzano. Several of the final vocal tracks were lifted directly from scratch tracks.

"I just figured that people are going to either like my singing, or they're not, and splicing and dicing to get the perfect take would probably hurt more than it helped," VanSant said.

The track listing is:
1. You Can't Put My Fire Out
2. Tin Man
3. Something Real
4. Most of Our Dreams Don't Come True
5. Spilt Milk
6. Circadian
7. The Hustle
8. Driftwood
9. Rising Tide

Tour dates are:
Jan. 22 - New Orleans, LA - Folk Alliance International
Feb. 22 - Philadelphia, PA - Philly Folksong Society
Feb. 23 - Brick Township, NJ - Rosie's Cafe
Feb. 28 - Towson, MD - WTMD Album Release Show
March 4 - Richmond, VA - Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery
March 5 - Barnesville, OH - Albert S. George Youth Center
March 6 - Pittsburgh, PA - Hambones
March 9 - Annapolis, MD - 49 West Coffeehouse, Winebar, & Gallery
March 26 - Redwood City, CA - Redwood City Downtown Library
March 27 - Soquel, CA - The Ugly Mug
March 28 - San Jose, CA - Foothill Community Presbyterian Church
March 29 - Berkeley, CA - The Back Room Music
April 2 - Washington, DC - City Winery - Wine Garden Stage
April 4 - Rockport, MA - Old Sloop Coffeehouse (supporting Amy Speace)
April 5 - Ewing, NJ - 1867 Sanctuary at Ewing
April 22 - Glasgow, UK - Fallen Angels Club at Glad Cafe
April 23 - Kirkcaldy, UK - Acoustic Music Club
April 26 - Irvine, UK - Harbour Arts Centre
April 28 - Kilbarchan, UK - Kilbarchan Performing Arts Centre
April 29 - Abergavenny, UK - The Art Shop & Chapel
April 30 - Pembroke Dock, UK - Cwtch Coffee
May 2 - Barton Upon Humber, UK - The Ropewalk
May 5 - London, UK - Green Note