On Sunday, September 14th, join us for a conversation with Peter Simon and Raudol Palacios to discuss their new project, Morning Byrd. As with all Sundays@4 presentations, this will be free and open to the public.
About the project:
Cover: A Change in Elevation
Morning Byrd is an American experimental pop band founded in 2024 by singer-songwriter Peter Simon (see-MOHN). Simon had originally formed Morning Byrd as a solo electronic project when his main band (Minos The Saint) was taking a short break, but it eventually morphed into a duet with friend and cellist Raudol Palacios. The duet recorded their debut EP, A Change In Elevation in the fall of 2024, enlisting the help of numerous south Louisiana musicians.
“A Change In Elevation was inspired by an impromptu trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains”, says Simon. He continues, “The undeniable longing I felt returning back to the bayous of South Louisiana was hard to ignore. Often I would find myself in a daydream about the many trails and sunsets we encountered, almost as if I had lived another life in those old mountains.”
The remaining tracks on the EP include “Man’s First Step”: an ode to waking up and taking in the silence of the early morning, featuring a strong performance by vocalist and visual artist, Kimberly Meadowlark. The third track, Hair Down, employs the swirling combination of an 808 drum machine sample with at times, dissonant guitar and cello solos. When It’s Right, Part 1 is the more experiential track on the EP, opening and ending with an irregular heartbeat and a deep contradiction between the musical theme and lyrics of the protagonist. The final track, Headspace, blooms with windchimes, the family dog, and a general take on the natural world around us, always changing and still, consistently ready to absorb the moments we consider to be unbearable.
A Change In Elevation features guest performances from:
Kimberly Meadowlark (vocals), Taylor Stomma (vocals), David Hinson (Bass), Lee Barbier (Bass), Chad Townsend (Drums), Alex Cook (Pedal Steel). John Tully provided the mixing (Legendary Noise Floor), further recording provided by Liam Catchings (In his kitchen) and Bill Kelley (LSU School of Music, Steinway piano)
Sundays@4 is presented in partnership with the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area whose mission is to enhance the identity of our unique American landscape by preserving and promoting our heritage and by fostering progress for local champions that create authentic, powerful connections between people, culture, and the environment.