Blues has often been described as both the source of the song and the song itself. For an artist like Nashville-based bluesman Patrick Sweany, it’s also become a means of catharsis. “It’s fairly obvious that a good deal of this album is dealing with grief, loss, and its aftermath,” he explains about his new album Close to the Floor (Nine Mile Records; July 16, 2013). “It’s really pushed me to make the record about the resilience of people who love each other.”
Still reeling from a double dose of tragedy that befell his immediate family, he found solace in his music creating as personal a statement as the roots troubadour has ever made. Chronicling his attempts to cope with the premature deaths of two family members, his struggles with perpetual touring, and his battles with the (mostly) ruthless music industry, he spins gorgeous melodies tempered by the harsh light of reality.
