[Cover photo credit to Cesar Delly]
Aaron Skiles fronted the Bay Area-based band, Bourbon Therapy that recently disbanded for logistical reasons, but while writing for Bourbon Therapy, Skiles realized that some of his songwriting didn’t fit that outfit’s sound and might be better as solo work. Skiles then reached out to fellow musician and friend, Matt Patton of Drive-By Truckers, to co-write most of the album with him. The result is Wreckage from the Fire, coming up on April 22, 2022.
Skiles comments:
Matt is an incredible musician and an amazing lyricist. For the most part he helped me make my lyrics more impactful, more memorable, and simply better. But he also helped with arrangements, on “Before You Go” and also with “On My Own”. And he was amazing as a vocal coach, pushing me to find the emotion in each song and to bring it to life. I’ve never been prouder of my vocal performance on any other project and I owe that to how Matt pushed me to get the most out of my vocals.
Of the eight songs on the album Matt Patton co-wrote six of them. Skiles claims that Patton was the reason Wreckage From The Fire happened in the first place since Patton became a supporter of Bourbon Therapy in 2016. The new songs were recorded at Patton’s studio, Dial Back Sound. Other members of Drive-By Truckers kindly got involved, too.
Skiles explains:
This is the first album that I’ve ever personally tracked guitar on. I’m a bass player and pianist and that’s what I play on Bourbon Therapy music. But when Matt Patton (bass) and Jay Gonzalez (piano), both from Drive-By Truckers, offered to play on my solo album, I realized I better let them! I worked hard at getting myself up to snuff on rhythm guitar and I’m pleased with the outcome.
