New England-based singer-songwriter Erin Ash Sullivan proudly announces the release of her second solo album, Signposts and Marks, produced by Doug Kwartler at Hollow Body Studios in Chelmsford, MA. This bluegrass-infused collection of songs captures Erin’s unique storytelling ability, highlighting the small, poignant moments that illuminate our shared humanity.
Signposts and Marks reflects a period in Sullivan’s life rich with interconnected relationships. As a mother, daughter, wife, sister, and friend, she delves into themes of individuality within these bonds. Tracks like “Goat on a Stone Wall” and “Nobody’s Business” explore the complexities of long-term love and the sacrifices made for our partners. The lyrics, “It’s nobody’s business but yours and mine/No one needs to know/about the push and the pull/and the hairs that we split all too fine,” encapsulate the intimacy and challenges of sustaining a relationship.
The album concludes with a trilogy of songs—“We Walk the Flats,” “How It Should Be,” and “Before You Go”—reflecting on parenthood and the bittersweet emotions of watching a child grow. In “Before You Go,” Sullivan poignantly sings, “I know you’re ready/But how can I get ready/it’s harder than you know,” capturing the heartache and pride of a parent facing an empty nest.
Sullivan’s talent for turning small moments into compelling stories shines throughout the album. “One Time I Stole A Book” recounts a true story from her grandparents' lives, contemplating the transitions to adulthood with the lines, “How do you know if it’s an ending or a spark?/Give us grace to know the signposts and the marks.” Another track, “Eat the Pie,” spins a light-hearted tale of a Fourth of July pie-eating contest into an anthem for pursuing dreams and ignoring naysayers, with the spirited chorus, “Would I let other people’s shoulds and shouldn’t riddle me with doubt/Would I give in to what was safe and let the whole world count me out/Don’t count me out.”
Erin Ash Sullivan’s music, deeply rooted in New England, is a blend of heartfelt and humorous lyrics that draw from her authentic lived experiences. John Platt of WFUV praises Sullivan as “a special talent that reminds me of early Dar Williams.” Her debut solo album, We Can Hear Each Other (2021), reached #10 on the FAI DJ Chart. Sullivan was also a 2023 “Most Wanted” artist at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival and has won multiple songwriting awards, including the Rose Garden Coffeehouse Performing Songwriter Competition and the Mark Erelli Judge's Choice Award in the New England Songwriting Competition. She has also been a finalist in both the Great American Song Contest and the Mid-Atlantic Song Contest.
Signposts and Marks Track List:
Goat on a Stone Wall (3:14)
Rest Stop Bird (3:58)
Nobody’s Business (3:37)
Baltimore (4:52)
One Time I Stole a Book (4:44)
Winter Walk (3:16)
Ghost of a Thorn (3:26)
Eat the Pie (3:40)
Don’t Want to Keep Score (3:46)
We Walk the Flats (3:50)
How It Should Be (5:01)
Before You Go (3:33)
Album Credits: Produced by Doug Kwartler Recorded, mixed, and mastered by Doug Kwartler at Hollow Body Studios in Chelmsford, MA All songs by Erin Ash Sullivan Erin Ash Sullivan: vocals, guitar, ukulele
