Anders Osborne's Black Eye Galaxy Set For May 1 Release
Alligator Records has set a May 1 release date for Black Eye Galaxy (AL 4948), the powerful new album from New Orleans' Anders Osborne. Between the sheer force and potent lyricism of his guitar playing, the riveting depth of his songwriting and the straight-from-the-soul conviction of his vocals, Osborne is among the most original and visionary musicians writing and performing today. OffBeat magazine recently named Osborne the Crescent City's Best Guitarist for the second straight year, and also awarded him with the Best Roots Rock Artist title.
Recorded at the famed Dockside Studio in Maurice, Louisiana, Black Eye Galaxy was produced by Anders along with engineer Warren Riker and Galactic's Stanton Moore. Sounds on the album range from heavy electric mayhem to joyous acoustic melodicism, lyrics move from the darkest depths to the healing power of love. The title is an unambiguous metaphor for Osborne's life as a traveler, a musician, an immigrant, a recovering addict, and as a husband and father. Black Eye Galaxy is a harrowing but ultimately uplifting cycle of richly detailed songs that are musically and lyrically thought-provoking, exhilarating and completely engaging.
Since 1989, Osborne has released ten albums to great critical and popular acclaim. He's written virtually all of his own material and contributed memorable songs to a wide variety of other artists. Two tunes co-written by Osborne appear on blues great Keb Mo's Grammy-winning 1999 release Slow Down. Country superstar Tim McGraw scored a #1 hit with Anders' song Watch The Wind Blow By. He wrote and recorded the title track for the 2010 Kate Hudson film Earthbound, and can also be seen performing in a recent episode of HBO's New Orleans-based drama, Treme.
Since the release of his 2010 Alligator Records debut, American Patchwork, Osborne has toured virtually non-stop, performing with his own band, solo with Keb Mo, with The Stanton Moore Trio, alongside Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, with Luther Dickinson as well as with The Voice Of The Wetlands All-Stars. In 2011 Osborne produced and played on critically acclaimed albums by Tab Benoit, Johnny Sansone and Mike Zito. The previous year he appeared on the track Dark Water from Galactic's Ya-Ka-May album.
In the studio and in concert, Anders Osborne channels the music throughout his entire body, becoming a whirling dervish of pure energy. Paste says, "Anders Osborne is a triple threat as a singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. He can play the hot guitar slinger, and he can play the sensitive, soulful singer/songwriter, and he's excellent at both. Mastering either genre puts you in select company. Mastering both is mind-bogglingly great."
