John Mailander’s Forecast is excited to independently release Let The World In on January 24, 2025, on CD, vinyl, and digitally. Forecast is a Nashville-based collective of visionary musicians led by acclaimed performer, producer, composer, educator, and recording artist John Mailander, known for his unique voice on the fiddle and other stringed instruments.
Forecast features John Mailander on fiddle, keys, and electronics; Ethan Jodziewicz on upright and fretless electric bass; Chris Lippincott on steel guitars, keys, and electronics; Mark Raudabaugh on drums and percussion; Jake Stargel on acoustic guitar; and David Williford on tenor saxophone and bass clarinet.
Produced by Mailander, Let The World In was recorded by Brook Sutton at The Studio Nashville, with assistance from Will Tyson and Maeve Graham. It was mixed by Daniel Rice and mastered by Wayne Pooley. The album includes nine tracks, four of which are shorter free improvisations. All but “Road” are original instrumentals.
The songs bridge the jazz and jam band worlds, exemplified by the first single—a Nick Drake cover, “Road,” available now to stream and purchase → https://ffm.to/forecast-road-single.
“‘Road’ has been a bit of a mantra to me over the past couple of years," says Mailander. “I haven’t always considered myself much of a singer, but it felt important to sing this one myself on the album. Lyrically, I feel like it ties into the album’s overarching themes and serves as a great vehicle for band improvisation. This track captures much of the vibe we create live.”
JamBase described the song as "majestic and expansive," debuting the Grouch Bucket-animated video that accompanied it. In their feature, they delved into “Road” and the entire album with John.
“I try to compose tunes with colors inspired by the disparate styles of music we all love, which we then collectively explore as a unit and through our individual lenses,” Mailander told JamBase. “Part of the sound of this band lies in the unique intersection of our different backgrounds, our collective limitations, and the new colors and genres we strive to explore. That meeting point is where much of the magic and individuality are revealed.”
Watch John Mailander's Forecast - "Road" (Official Video)
Photography by Michael Weintrob
Graphic Design by Madalyn Stefanak
Artwork by Megan Lightell
Let The World In is the spiritual third entry in a trilogy of "Forecast" records and the second “true” album as a band, following 2021’s Look Closer, which was recorded during the pandemic. Originally formed for the live debut of John’s 2019 album Forecast, the group adopted its name during a series of residency shows in Nashville at Dee’s Lounge. John Mailander’s Forecast has since developed a dedicated following through adventurous improvisations, singular collaborations, and genre-bending musical explorations.
Blending melancholy and darkness with hope and joy, Mailander explains, “This album is deeply connected to larger themes—both from my personal experiences over the past couple of years and the broader world. It reflects the stress and noise of political turmoil, the overwhelming nature of re-entering life after the shutdowns, and the search for inner peace through it all. The music explains these feelings, but I want the album to remain open to personal interpretation. It’s the heaviest record I’ve made in terms of sound design, and I hope it flows as one continuous listening experience, blending rock, jazz, psychedelia, and Americana flavors.”
The album opens with 18 seconds of the band candidly gathering to warm up before the count-off to the title track, “Let The World In”—a Forecast sound collage featuring Mailander on fiddle and Wurlitzer. The ambiance is further enriched by contributions from the “Let The World In Sound Freedom Expressionists” (Hannah Delynn, Maya De Vitry, Gibb Droll, Ella Korth, Lindsay Lou, and Royal Masat).
Other compositions include the bluesy, whimsical, and mysterious “Gardener,” the string-layered “Chapters,” and the peaceful, Metheny- and Hornsby-inspired “Heartland,” which showcases Stargel’s imaginative guitar solo, a Jodziewicz arco bass feature, and Mailander’s piano playing.
Improvisations “(1)” and “(2)” are short, spontaneously composed pieces recorded at the end of daily sessions. The album concludes with “(reprise),” a reinterpretation of the title track’s cinematic main melody, with Mailander again on piano. Let The World In is intended to be experienced as a cohesive whole. Play it loud.
In addition to leading Forecast, Mailander is a member of Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers. His playing appears on albums by Billy Strings (including the Grammy-winning Home), Noah Kahan, Joy Williams, Lucy Dacus, Molly Tuttle, Joe K. Walsh, Chatham County Line, and many others. John is currently touring with the Sam Grisman Project.
Let The World In by John Mailander’s Forecast will be released on January 24, 2025.
Forecast is a Nine Athens Music project.
Presave Let The World In → https://ffm.to/lettheworldin
For more information, visit:
www.johnmailander.com
www.facebook.com/johnmailandermusic
www.instagram.com/johnmailander
