As we look forward to a post-pandemic world where we can gather freely again with our friends and larger groups, we’re left reflecting on the isolation of the past year. For us, the simple pleasures of a good book, a nostalgic recipe or a new song have all helped provide little moments of escape in the midst of a difficult year. “Farther Away” by Los Angeles-based Sam Valdez does just that, opening up a vast, expansive landscape that feels familiar and strange at the same time. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Featured Artist: Sam Valdez
Q1: Thanks for taking the time to answer a few of our questions! We’re so excited to feature your beautiful music. “Farther Away” lays out an expansive, seductive landscape that reminds us of our home in the desert. Is your sound and songwriting tied to specific places?
Thank you. I think the writing is naturally tied to California a lot because it’s my home and where all of my experiences in my adult life have been. I’m originally from Las Vegas but I don’t really feel connected to it, I’ve always felt like its a pretty toxic place and California felt like a savior a bit to me.
Q2: Your lyrics have a particularly mysterious, haunting quality that really draws the listener in. Who are your favorite writers?
I like to read and listen to a balance of older writers and more contemporary ones. Leonard Cohen, Patti Smith and Elliott Smith are a few of my favorites, they are so genius. They were just constantly writing and finding a way to write so freely. The music is so personal and genuine.
Q3: Has the pandemic affected you creatively?
It has in that I keep going in and out of creativity more often. There’s so much less life going on and we’re living in this totally new way so the way we process everything has changed. It’s been better creatively now that I’ve worked through some of the initial panic and feel like there’s more to write about again.
Q4: Your sound seems to be growing and evolving as you move through your career. Have your songwriting or recording methods changed? Do you stick to a trusted process?
Yeah, I used to always write solely on guitar and I’ve started writing on this little dinky synth I have now and an old drum machine. I try not to stick to any single process or way of going about writing or recording because I feel like I could so easily just keep making different versions of the same song if I do.
Q5: What’s next for you? Do you have a new album in the works or touring plans past COVID?
I’m working on a new album right now but touring plans keep getting pushed back and changed naturally because of the state of things. I definitely am going to start touring again right when we get the green light, I miss playing live so much.
About the New Moon Playlist
On the New Moon, the earth, moon, and sun align making us unaware of the moon’s presence in the sky. Without the visual presence and glow of the moon, other celestial bodies typically hidden now shine brighter. Our chances of seeing the sky clearly are heightened on this day, making it a day of clarity and new beginnings. Creatively it’s the perfect time to set intentions for a new cycle of dreams and goals, and ways of manifesting them.
To honor this monthly opportunity for fresh starts and creative beginnings, we’ve asked our friend and musician we admire, Chase McBride, to curate a seasonal New Moon Spotify playlist.
Follow The Joshua Tree House on Spotify and be the first to hear new playlists. Last season’s New Moon Spotify Playlist featured artist Charles Watson.
its the weekend so this sounds absolutely wonderful to me right about now! YUM Talia Fritz Lissie