Since late 2006, Blake Christiana has led Yarn through a fertile soundscape that plowed through acoustic and electric roots-based music. Then about two years ago, to reboot his creative self, Christiana booked a weekend of shows that featured new material, songs never used by Yarn and onstage collaborations. It resulted in his first ever live recording, Live at the Down Home as well as a change in his entire perspective. He now wanted to write more, play more, and most importantly, collaborate more.
Unburdened by expectations, he entered the PineBox studio. Its owner, Damian Calcagne, also co-produced the sessions, played keyboards and dove into his address book to invite guests including Mike Robinson (Railroad Earth), Andy Falco (Infamous Stringdusters), Mike Sivilli (Dangermuffin), Heather Hannah, Elliott Peck (Midnight North) and Johnny Grubb to contribute to the proceedings.
Christiana eventually brought in drummer Robert Bonhomme and bassist Rick Bugel – aka Yarn’s rhythm section – and realized that a new approach that developed in the studio among musical friends reenergized his interest in the band.
And with that, the threesome brings listeners Born, Blessed, Grateful & Alive, an album that continues Yarn’s rootsy evolution. Lyrically, the 12 stories contained on the release face the dark times of our current existence but refuse to be broken by them. Instead, Yarn’s first studio album in eight years reminds us that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.