Songwriter Shay Martin Lovette certainly has a way with delivery and story that summons the likes of Patterson Hood, Brent Cobb, and Rhett Miller. Yet there is a novel and mystifying tone in his folky delivery that wreaks of a creative pursuit unraveling, as one of folk rock’s vital new voices.
After releasing his debut in 2018, receiving a plethora of regional accolades, and spending over 100 days playing shows to eager audiences, Lovette is back with his sophomore effort. The new 12-song collection, Scatter and Gather, was produced by Joseph Terrell of North Carolina’s cherished indie roots outfit Mipso (Rounder Records), and features members of the band throughout.
Lovette’s songs deliver evocative imagery that invites the listener along on one’s life journey, full of incidents, escapades, and moments of clarity. From a canyon to a “cold casino rooftop,” and various locales around the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, where Lovette is based, The backdrops are ever-changing but a common thread can always be found in the feelings of his colorful characters.