BE HERE INSTEAD BY PARKER MILLSAP IS SET TO RELEASE APRIL 9TH

Be Here Instead is the fifth album from Oklahoma bred singer/songwriter Parker Millsap. This album is a stylistic shift from his gritty high-energy folk style to what Millsap describes as “Disco Americana Showtunes.” Instead of using the typical guitar and notebook approach to songwriting for this album, he followed his curiosity. Millsap tested out other modes of expression that included effect pedals and old school drum machines.  Be Here Instead is produced by John Agnello who has worked with Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth, and Waxahatchee. The album was recorded with Millsap’s full band. Millsap describes the lyrics of the songs on Be Here Instead as follows:” They feel like words I needed to hear from myself, and not just things I wanted to say to someone else.”

The first single “The Real Thing” presents an introduction to the album’s sound. Erin Rae is a guest vocalist on the song. Parker wrote “The Real Thing” while on tour and missing his wife. It was not the same as being face to face while connecting over Facetime. Enter 2020 and the pandemic comes along and that was hard to have any type of spontaneous interaction. All interactions came to be livestream and Zoom.

Growing up Parker Millsap was influenced by Townes Van Zandt. Millsap started writing songs in his early teens. By 19 years of age, he released his debut album Palisade.  In 2014, he released The Very Last Day and Other Arrangements to widespread praise. Rock critic, Ann Powers, called Millsap “a star in the making”.  While Rolling Stone had this to say about Other Arrangements “mingles the sacred and the profane to rollicking effect”. Parker Millsap is a captivating artist that has opened for such artists as Jason Isabell, Patty Griffin, and Lucinda Williams. Millsap grabbed the attention of Sir Elton John. In 2016, he joined singer/songwriter Sarah Jarosz onstage in Atlanta. Sir Elton declared it as “one of the best concerts I have ever seen” and the performance “restored his faith in music”.  

Visit https://thinkcountrymusic.com/ for even more articles, features, interviews and reviews.  Think Country is always bringing country closer.# ParkerMillsap #BeHereInstead # JohnAgnello #KurtVile #SonicYouth #Waxahatchee #ErinRae #TheRealThing #Facetime #Zoom #TownesVanZandt  #AnnPowers #RollingStone #JasonIsabell #PattyGriffin #Lucinda Williams  #SirEltonJohn #Atlanta