Nicki Bluhm and The Gramblers’ discography is an eclectic mix of American roots music. The band is a melting pot of classic folk, blues, and country sounds. Bluhm’s voice, hitched to the wagon of her accompanying band, travels along the countryside, conforming gracefully to each genre’s geological features. Perhaps most impressively, on the band’s more folksy country tunes, she conjures up a Sheryl Crow-esue vocal performance that sounds as smooth as the sun setting on the waters of the Pacific.
The band first received national attention when its “Van Sessions” videos (recordings of the band playing cover songs while driving between shows on tour) went viral. The Gramblers were invited to play a string of shows at some of the biggest festivals.
“It was Steve Adams, our bass player’s idea. Before that one went viral, which was the 17th one, we had been doing them for a long time without any thought just for fun and to pass the time on long drives,” Bluhm said. “When it went viral we were on stage playing and didn’t have any cellphone reception, so we didn’t know anything had happened.”
The band’s new album
Loved Wild Lost comes out today, and we can’t wait to see what is in store for them after that. According to Bluhm, the band spent time isolated on a friend’s ranch while putting the songs together.
“I grew up riding horses and got to ride during the day,” Bluhm said. “There were dogs and cats all around. Being around animals, especially for me, feels really good and made it a relaxing and supportive environment.”
Listen to a track off the new album here: