Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real: 2019
Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real (photo by Joey Martinez/PR)
The title of the new album by Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real is Turn Off The News (Build a Garden). It's a call to action and a representative slice of philosophy from the man and his band, with roots in Hawaii that reflect the "Aloha Spirit" with an emphasis on community and local engagement.
Nelson goes on the record here as sharing a lot of the values espoused by the Woodstock generation, and the title track — one of the two live songs served up in this session — shares some DNA with one of the defining songs of that era: "Teach Your Children" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.
"Turn Off The News (Build a Garden)" actually appears twice on the album in electric and acoustic form, in a move that Nelson explains was inspired by the bookend versions of "Rockin' in the Free World" on Neil Young's Freedom album.
Fans of Young know Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real as Young's favored backing band over the past four years. Fans of Willie Nelson know his son Lukas for his work with his dad and his commitment to the spirit of independence that his father hangs his hat on.
Between the live tracks in this FUV Live session, the younger Nelson addresses the relationships he's enjoyed with those two towering figures and his own evolution as a bandleader and songwriter in the current politically fraught environment. He also talks about the anticipated "highlight reel" experience of opening for the Rolling Stones at MetLife Stadium on August 5.
[Recorded: 6/10/19; Producer: Sarah Wardrop]
