Russell James has quite a back story: “James, who lives his life with the audio integration disorder hyperacusis, complicated by parallels to the autism spectrum and a personal battle with PTSD and anxiety, felt as though he was standing in the shadow of his depression.” Turning his adverse life experiences into eclectic instrumentation and flow, James found hope in the making of his upcoming album Wave/Water, which will be self-released on April 20, 2018.
Weaving in influences from The Cure and 90’s shoegaze, the record holds true to overcoming obstacles and finding beauty in the creative realm. Honing in on the mental health aspect of being an artist and having a “sense of coping and healing” from making music, he is well on his way to breaking to stigma about depression. Check out his album below.
“Wave/Water relies heavily on the theme of change and impermanence. It’s about finding peace amongst the waves, finding the courage to float during the storm and ride it out. I found a new and salient sense of meaning as my musical and mental focus changed direction. Thich Nhat Hanh said, “For a wave, enlightenment comes when it realizes it is made out of water.” I titled the album after this quote because I felt it captured the essence of where my whole life is right now: Everything I do is is fluid, like water, changing and flowing from one place to the next, during fair weather and foul.”
Get to the gig:
4/20 Seattle, WA: Tim’s Tavern
4/23 Salt Lake City, UT: The Living Stage @ RL Hotel
5/15 Harrisonburg, VA: The Golden Pony
5/17 Philadelphia, PA: Kung Fu Necktie
5/18 Lancaster, PA: TBA
5/19 New York, NY: Rockwood Music Hall
5/21 Washington, DC: Tryst
5/24 Goshen, IN: Goshen Brewing Co.
5/25 Chicago IL: Acoustic Café
5/26 St. Louis, MO: Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House
