Freight Trio @ Point of Bluff Vineyards

Freight rolls into Point of Bluff Vineyards, toting their distinctively original Americana sound and their debut album: Hard Worker. Led by the songwriting of JP Payton, and the melodic b-bending telecaster stylings of Liam Lawson, Hard Worker brings 10 new groove-centric and playfully syncopated Americana tunes to light. Using modern production with string band song structures and thumping Waylon backbeats, the album is adventurous in its sonic ambition and traditional in its grasp of many American musical forms. The effect finds Freight giving nods to such varied influences as T Rex to Jerry Garcia, Scott Joplin to Hank Williams, and Tom Petty to Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Payton’s plaintively poetic and confessional songwriting belies a nuanced and empathetic understanding of the human condition, often exploring the interior dynamics of close relationships, the connections between people and the places they live, and the pains of growing up and old.
The band is comprised of veteran musicians who individually have shared stages with the likes of John Prine, SonVolt, Leon Russell, James McMurtry and many other roots music heavyweights. Longtime Ithacan Walt Lorenzut is a go-to and in demand bassist in a wide range of genres and currently also plays with The East West Blues Band, Vanissa Santi, and Wingnut. Loveday, the Lady of Freight, adds her powerful and innovative vocals to the mix with an operatic background, country twang and vintage presence that would make Linda Ronstadt proud. And as the backbone of Freight, Olive Mitra, brings a worldly and refined sound to the fore, with touches of jazz, bossa nova, and experimental genres firmly grasped, his drumming forges new territory in the richly evolving Americana landscape
“This is a recording of skilled musicians and friends enjoying what they do. In so many ways it is like a debut album, but by grown-ups, and it sounds like they had such fun bringing it to life together.” – Americana UK
“The debut album, Hard Worker, sometimes reminds us of the long-awaited Jason Molina’s way of making songs. Although with a greater optimism in the lyrics, Payton’s voice is close to the emotional tone of the late singer.” – Dirty Rock Magazine
“Hard Worker’s 10 songs traverse a wide musical terrain, blending country, funk, rock and psychedelic influences with traces of Wilco, The Grateful Dead, John Prine, Dave Alvin and other roots-music staples – all woven together to a blue collar backdrop for Payton’s warm baritone vocals and deeply personal lyrics.” – Jim Catalano WXXI
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