Mount Moriah talks about new record, touring with Indigo Girls

Mount Moriah’s self-titled LP isn’t out until May 3 but the band is playing a FREE CD release show tonight at the Cat’s Cradle along with label mates Filthybird and The Moaners.

Like most musicians, I’m sure you guys have a shared love of vinyl. Tell us about it… what is it about the sound that you like?

HM: I starting collecting records by visiting thrift stores as a teenager and finding neat old records with interesting artwork in the dollar bins. Then, in college, I bought my first used turntable at a thrift store and began to actually listen to these old records – which I still have and listen to. I’m always drawn to more analog and antique things, stuff with history and stories.I like the process of listening to vinyl – how warm it sounds, how you can sometimes hear the crackle of overuse, watching the record spin and needle read the grooves. Hearing our own music on vinyl makes me feel like I’m a part of the history, the longevity, of documented music. Vinyl has outlasted many other formats, and that’s very telling.
JM: I do love vinyl, but for me it’s less about the sound and more about maintaining a physical connection to the music. Sound is an ephemeral thing top begin with, and it and becomes even more ephemeral when it’s delivered through a computer file. The art object itself requires an investment in the process of consumption, and that investment results in a greater appreciation for the art.

What’s the last vinyl record you bought?

HM: Touring this fall with Indigo Girls and Amy Ray was such an incredible experience. Amazing music to sing along to every night, and amazing people to share with in the adventure. Our bands became quite close, like a family. I can’t speak more highly of them. A highlight for me, on the Indigo Girls tour, was playing to the largest audiences in very unique theaters and rooms. On the Amy Ray tour, the highlight would be singing a duet with Amy Ray every night and having Julie Wolf sit in on our set.
JM: We traveled a bit with Melissa York, which means we accumulated way too many hilarious stories than we could ever hope to relay here … Tour was a blast, and we got to play a number of excellent venues. It was easily the most enjoyable experience I’ve ever had on the road.