The song is self-titled from his upcoming album releasing June 14th. Helmed by Serby’s longtime producer and lead guitarist Ed Tree, the set of 10 new original songs features his regular collaborators: bassist Greg Boaz (currently in soul/gospel legend Mavis Staples’ band and a veteran of Dave Alvin’s Guilty Men), drummer Dale Daniel (formerly of the Hacienda Brothers), and keyboardist-vocalist Darice Bailey. SoCal alt-country vet Carl Byron (a featured player in the “gypsy jazz” unit the Hot Club of Los Angeles) contributes Hammond B3 organ, accordion, and keyboards on several selections. Like his previous work, Low Hanging Stars reflects a strong sense of place, and takes in L.A. and environs from the underside of Hollywood to the outskirts of the Salton Sea.
Low Hanging Stars circles back to the style, sound, and subject matter of the records that made Serby’s reputation, with economical, keenly observed songs about people living on the margins. The no-punches-pulled writing reflects the influence of L.A.’s laureate of the lost, novelist-poet Charles Bukowski, whom Serby calls “just about my favorite writer.”
ABOUT THE SONG: “Low Hanging Stars,” is about musicians attempting to claw out a living after leaving the City of Angels. From the artist, “This is kind of a bigger roots rock thing. I was thinking about this arc that often brilliant artists and musicians have where the fire very brightly for a short period of time and then burn out…Hank Williams to Kurt Cobain to Keith Whitely to Amy Winehouse…it’s just a sad story. Sometimes, I’ll add a couple of extra bars before getting into the last chorus. I did it hear and Dale Daniel played the perfect drum fill. I’m also a little proud of this one in that I ended it with the same line as I began it, and the song doesn’t end on the one or home chord (in this case a D), it ends on the four chord (in this case a G) which I hope makes the end feel sad and unsettling.”
