Salt Lake City-based, beloved purveyors of bluegrass, skiing, and quirky outfits, Pixie and The Partygrass Boys have released their self-titled album via Americana Vibes. While the band has steadily released material since 2018, the new nine-track album exemplifies a capstone effort, showcasing the raucous energy of their early success merged with carefully curated, mature solos and well-honed compositions. Listen to the new album HERE.
The band’s decision to self-title the album reflects a journey of collective pride in the process—from song selection to studio production to composition to playback. “Although we’re proud of our other albums, we feel like we nailed this one,” explains mandolinist and vocalist Ben Weiss. “In the recording process, you normally feel like you’ve listened back too much and you don’t want to ever hear these songs again, but that’s not the case with this record.”
Visually, the album cover represents the band’s strong bonds beyond music. It’s a collage of Polaroid photographs compiled by vocalist Katia “Pixie” Racine, highlighting moments from goofy wedding photo booths to costume parties to some of the band’s earliest memories together. “It gives people a glimpse into the reality of the band,” says Weiss. “And we look back at one of those and think, wow, we were just babies.”
The nine tracks on Pixie and The Partygrass Boys speak to the complicated nuances of love, reflective periods during isolation, the power of nature, and beyond. “Club Thing” celebrates love for someone from the past—seeing them find their place in the world, even if it doesn’t involve you. “This song is a proclamation of joy and gratitude; for love, for the forces of nature, for the ebbs and flows of life, the pain, the loss, the wonder, the revelry, the laughter of children. Gratitude for all of it, and the opportunity to have experienced some part of it with another,” Racine expounds. The band’s powder hound prowess shines in “There’s No Friends on a Powder Day.” “Skiers everywhere know this phrase, but not everyone gets it,” violinist and vocalist Amanda Grapes Dellinger contends. “For me, a powder day is classified as over a foot of the fluffy stuff, and there’s no better feeling in the world than gliding through fresh, untracked pillows. Unfortunately, the increase in ski crowds these days means you have to be early and efficient to get the goods before they’re gone. This song was written in frustration on a missed powder day due to a late ‘friend.’” Watch the lyric video for "There's No Friends on a Powder Day" HERE.
“Cabin Fever” was written by Dellinger in a tiny, historic mining cabin on the slopes of the majestic Wasatch Mountains. The track reflects the silver linings found during COVID when society was forced to slow down, simplify, and cherish loved ones. “Into Nothing” serves as a contrast to “Club Thing,” with a steady four-on-the-floor beat and musical ebbs and flows that mirror the emotions of a breakup. Described by Racine as “the angriest breakup song I’ve ever written, inspired by the healthiest breakup I’ve ever had,” the track conveys the frustration of holding back during a healthy split—sometimes you just want to say everything you’ve held back and watch it all burn. The song explores the pain of letting go, expressing anger, and the desire to erase the significance of a past relationship.
The penultimate track, “Marching On,” was written by Racine in late spring 2020 in the midst of a pandemic, after an earthquake shook Salt Lake City, and at the start of the Black Lives Matter protests when life felt fragile and uncertain. “I wrote this song as a reminder that things can get better, but they will only get better if we keep marching on, together. If we can find a way to sit down and all sing along, together. We must protect each other, stand up to injustice, and realize that there’s only one team—Team Human. No one is free until everyone is free. I wish that this song didn’t feel as relevant today as it did when I wrote it, and I hope that one day it no longer will,” says Racine. The ensemble is joined by friends singing in a choir, recalling socially distanced concerts where audiences would scream and sing along with them, highlighting the song’s message of community. Producer Mike Sasich added six open-tuned guitars and ebos to create a unique drone effect that weaves in and out of the song.
Another highlight of the self-titled record is the fan favorite “Partygrass Theme Song,” which concludes the album, showcasing the band’s playful nature and camaraderie. “Who has a theme song, anyway? Well, we do,” says Weiss. “Our theme song is the end credits to many a Partygrass show, telling the story of our band’s inception. It may be silly, but it serves as both our curtain call and a marketing ploy as we sing our band’s name repeatedly, ensuring no one in attendance will ever forget.”
Pixie and The Partygrass Boys will close out 2024 with an appearance at Treefort Music Hall in Boise, Idaho on December 28th and their annual New Year’s Eve show at The Commonwealth Room in Salt Lake City, Utah, on December 31st.
For more information and a complete list of tour dates, please visit pixieandthepartygrassboys.com.
