Lovelace’s battle with his religious upbringing is a constant throughout the album, from the ethereal “High Throne” to straight-ahead rocker “Praying Wrong.” The folky “Miracles,” though, is a standout on an already stellar record. That track is a rumination on just how much young minds are able to trust and hope — and an entreaty to return to those days. “As I've gotten older, I don't really believe all the things that I believed when I was young,” Lovelace says. “But at the same time, I wish I had the confidence that I had when I was a kid.”

Shelters also digs into more earthly trials — the honeyed “Flames & Smoke” sees Lovelace muddling through his anxiety diagnosis, while the fluttery “Not the Best Version of Myself (Right Now)” speaks to a sentiment we can all relate to. “I Stopped Drinking Yesterday” which is about trying to put down the bottle and open your eyes.

The human condition is a process of evolution. Lovelace adds, “You can't just automatically change and be who you want to be. It's a process.” From beginning to end that process is portrayed on SHELTERS with songsthat vacillate between self-doubt, angst, forgiveness and ultimately hope. Lovelace is a proud work in progress: whether it’s quitting drinking to be more present for his kids, quelling panic attacks before stepping on stage, or just figuring out his beliefs, after growing up as the son of a preacher. Through all this turmoil he’s had his touchstones, his shelters: loved ones, friends and of course, music. “The reason why I call the album ‘shelters’ instead of just ‘shelter’ is because there's not a one-stop shop for salvation.” Lovelace continues “Different people became shelters for me — and also my work. There’s beauty in that.”

Friends who helped build SHELTERS include NEEDTOBREATHE bandmate Tyler Burkum, Griffin Goldsmith (Dawes), Emily Retsas (Phoebe Bridgers), Sam Getz (Welshly Arms), Aaron Sterling and more. Summing up the project Locelace reveals, “That’s what this record is all about. It's me forgiving myself and giving myself some grace for not having it all figured out quite yet.” 

SHELTERS follows Lovelace’s three-album stretch into family oriented music, under the moniker “Young Folk;” Moonwalking (2022), Growing Up (2019), and Young Folk (2017.)

Lovelace will celebrate the album with a very special hometown show on Sunday, October 27th at Knoxville’s Open Chord Stage. Tickets are available here. Get SHELTERShere.

SHELTERS Tracklist

1. Better Days
2. Miracles
3. High Thrown
4. Lovelight
5. Flames & Smoke
6. Not the Best Version of Myself (Right Now)
7. Praying Wrong
8. Hole Through My Heart
9. The Same Things
10. I Stopped Drinking Yesterday
11. Soul

Josh Lovelace:

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