Sequoia

When listening to Sequoia’s So Long, the listener is taken across the country, coast to coast, from lonesome to blissful, from small moments of life to untimely death Sequoia’s writing harkens toward short fiction and poetry, his eye for detail unearthing haunting images and timeless phrases. In an era of cosplay cowboys and working class voyeurism, Sequoia sings from the heart, with feet firmly planted in a hard life fully lived, hard love held on past its expiration date, and hard drugs taking those we love most. So Long grapples with what lasts in a world that is chasing instant gratification, championing contemplation with lush lyricism and thoughtful full-band production. 

This album was a team effort, produced by Russell Lacy and recorded at Richmond Virginia’s Moonwalker Studios with members of Space Bomb’s house band. The songwriting and sound is rooted in musical tradition, but pushes what we think of as a “songwriting album,” unconfined to bedroom Tascam scratch tracks. Sequoia’s voice and finger-style guitar guide every song, but the compositions stay expansive and surprising from start to finish. Sequoia’s So Long is a return to craft and an attempt to make something that outlives us all. This album is meant for listeners who miss the likes of Townes Van Zandt and Karen Dalton. So Long breaks the ghost of sophomore slumps and puts Sequoia on the map as a singer-songwriter who is just getting started.

Sequoia spent his early life in transience and instability, relocating several times before landing in rural Vermont. Growing up in a family full of wanderlust, adulthood maintained the same momentum, moving consistently, seeking belonging. Having recently returned to his adopted hometown of Portland, Oregon, he spends months on the road, touring nationally as a solo artist. Offering these stark, vulnerable, performances has afforded closeness in several musical communities. To have these relationships, built through songwriting, is a cherished experience. To him, there is a no greater feeling of place. Seeing and living in so many parts of the country has offered a diverse perspective on what it means to be American, and his writing embraces this with often floral descriptions of environment that mirror emotional experiences. Travis picking and timeless lyricism anchor these songs in the folk tradition, while melodic chord progressions and unpredictable song structure challenge the genre with sincerity. The recordings, first and foremost, serve the songs, but often take risks with orchestration to shape a sound entirely of its own. Listening is a sojourn of painted moments that brood hopefulness, pain, and the haunting melancholy of life.