× Christopher Paul Stelling's "Best of Luck" is out today, European tour starting in March

Christopher Paul Stelling's "Best of Luck" is out today, European tour starting in March

06-02-2020

Impassioned singer and virtuosic guitar player Christopher Paul Stelling has released his fifth album today. Titled Best of Luck, the Ben Harper-produced record is released through ANTI-.

Throughout Best of Luck, discontent and self-doubt are transformed into messages of resilience and hope. “Trouble Don’t Follow Me” captures this perfectly, with an upbeat almost anthemic rhythm and soulful, gospel-tinged vocals. “It comes as no surprise to me that one of my most optimistic songs could be written in the most difficult hour,” Stelling says. “When all I needed was a little hope and a song I could play night after night and not get tired of. Something that captured the basic recipe for endurance. A song about marching on, a warning to anything that might stand in your way, and needing to feel strong for the people around you, so you can inspire them to do the same.”

Harper says he instantly recognized a kindred spirit in Stelling’s virtuosic finger picking and soulful delivery. “It was like finding a John Fahey or Leo Kottke that was a really great singer,” he explains.

Best Of Luck is a supremely accessible and finely crafted record that deftly merges genres. Harper, who has previously produced records by Mavis Staples, Rickie Lee Jones, The Blind Boys of Alabama and others, recruited an all-star rhythm section with Jimmy Paxson (Stevie Nicks, Dixie Chicks) on drums and upright bass player Mike Valerio (Randy Newman, LA Philharmonic) to lend a versatility and finesse. “I really believe this record is the intersection where folk and soul meet,” Harper says.

'Best of Luck follows Stelling's journey to a place of newfound confidence and contentment, and breaks from his previous work. Where a wall of sound brought an edge to Stelling’s older albums, these tracks sound more like self-soothing exercises. For the most part, the songs are gentle meditations, lullabies and instrumentals, unified by Stelling’s trademark masterful fingerpicking, according to The Boot, who premiered the above live video for "Hear Me Calling" this week.

Christopher Paul Stelling embarks on a massive tour today and will hit Europe from March onwards:

27/03: Kristianstad, SWE - Fornstugan
28/03: Gustavsberg, SWE - R'n'R Diner
29/03: Stockholm, SWE - Twang
30/03: Oslo, NO - Krøsset
31/03: Malmö, SWE - Folk å Rock
01/04: Odense, DK - Dexter
02/04: Gladsaxe, DK - Richter
03/04: Berlin, DE - Privatclub
04/04: Cologne, DE - Weltempfänger
05/04: Utrecht, NL - TivoliVredenburg
06/04: London, UK - The Old Blue Last
07/04: Chester, UK - St Marys Creative Space
08/04: Glasgow, UK - Broadcast
09/04: Birmingham, UK - Kitchen Garden Cafe
10/04: Oostende, BE - De Zwerver
11/04: Rotterdam, NL - Rotown
12/04: Villingen, DE - Klosterhof
13/04: Recklinghausen, DE - Creative Outlaws
14/04: Bern, CH - Hush Hush
15/04: Cantù (Como), IT - All'1e35 Circa
16/04: Torino, IT - Blah Blah
17/04: Florence, IT - Arci Progresso
18/04: Ravenna, IT - Boca Barranca
20/04: Langnau, CH - Käptn Holger
22/04: Barberaz, FR - Le Brin de Zinc
23/04: Nevers, FR - La Tavern'
24/04: Paris, FR - NoPi
28/04: Barcelona, ESP - La Rubia (H)original
29/04: Zaragoza, ESP - Rock & Blues Café
30/04: Madrid, EPS - El Intruso
01/05: Vigo, ESP -  Radar Estudios
02/05: Braga, PT - Teatro Circo
06/05: Brussels, BE - Secret Show
07/05: Witten, DE - Roxi
08/05: Groningen, NL - Der-Aa Theater
09/05: Middelburg, NL - Kaffee 't Hof
27-30/08: Tønder, DK - Tønder Festival
12/09: Enschede, NL - Tuckerville

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