Singer-songwriter Joel David Weir returned to Kaleidoscope this week to speak with host Juliet Fromholt about his new album, Gethsemani. As Joel explained, the album was written during a sabbatical last year. As its title suggests, portions of the album were written and recorded in Gethsemani, Kentucky. While the remainder of the material on the album was recorded professionally at Monastery Studio in Walnut Hills, Ohio, Joel decided to include several intimate, outdoor performances captured on a field recorded in Gethsemani. Much of the significance of these recordings, according to Joel, is their date: the songs were captured one day before he was involved in a serious car accident. He explained, “A few of the tracks I left as-is. I had recorded them in the cabin the night before the accident, and I left it there with the sound of the woods and the cars going by.” The rest of the album was written last summer, when Joel spent two months touring in the UK.
Gethsemani was released on January 1st, 2023. An unabridged version of the album is available on Bandcamp, and an abridged version is available on major streaming platforms. Joel David Weir will perform live this Friday, April 28, at Blind Bob’s in Dayton. He will also play at the Trail Town Brewery in Yellow Springs on May 26. Information about his releases and upcoming performances is available on his website.
