A nice surprise in our mailbox came way of three musicians well-known in the indie folk rock world – Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Tyler Ramsey (formerly Band of Horses), and independent artist Kramies Windt.
Lytle, Ramsey and Windt have been friends and toured and worked together for years. So it’s not that big of a surprise when this unofficial, mini-supergroup dropped a new triple-single this week, Over and Outsider, featuring one new song from each artist.
“We decided to do this project – ‘over and outsider’ – to try and put some light and love back into the world during this crazy time,” the trio’s statement reads. “All three songs are lovely.”
Windt is best known for his work with Lytle and Patrick Carney (The Black Keys), Jerry Becker (Train), and Todd Tobias (Guided by Voices) and has toured and performed with artists like Spiritualized, Yo La Tengo, and Calexico.
He established a new indie record label called VanGerrett Records on which the trio released the split single. ‘Kramies’ – as he is more commonly known – is a collector and maker of rare split singles, one-off releases and “magical moments that can only be found here.”
Kramies two 2021 singles, “Days Of” & “Ohio I’ll Be Fine,” entered the U.S. & Canadian college charts’ Top 10.
For this 2022 release, Kramies wrote and recorded “She’s Low Tide”
Lytle, long revered as Grandaddy’s frontman, performs his track, “Drop That Hero,” while Ramsey, a free agent musician since leaving Band of Horses, presents his new song, “Arrow to Bow.”
The breadth of these songs; the quality of songwriting; the emotional pinging of each chord – all come together the way a light rain, a soft wind and singing birds do on a sweet summer afternoon.