A little bit of folk punk, a little bit of honey, you’ve got Joey Harkum’s new song “Beverly.” With exquisite attention to detail, Harkum’s raspy voice gives this ballad genuine sincerity — a call to life’s imperfections and making it work as we go along.
For his entire life, Joey Harkum has been strumming a guitar. After a decade of touring as the lead singer and songwriter of Baltimore-based band Pasadena, he released his debut solo album, Love and Labor, to critical acclaim in 2016. Known for his deep and poignant lyrics telling stories of joy, love, loss and sadness, Joey brings the human experience to life through his relentless tour schedule that culminated in the release of Live at Buffalo Iron Works in 2018. 2020 brought new challenges but Joey has responded with writing and recording new music and has released his new album Storyboard in March of 2021. Joey’s new album, Salt and Tar, is out now.
Explain the title of your album.
The title track and album name is Salt and Tar. The idea behind the name is that I’m touring coast to coast in this new normal while also being a new parent. Always moving and making things work. For example if the tour ends in Charleston, we drive through the night to make it home to be there in the morning to be with family.
Does your album have an overarching theme?
The theme I think for this album is work hard for the things that are important to you in life. The songs on this record are very much about hope and hard work for the future and about growing in this new world after the pandemic.
What have you missed about touring?
What I’ve missed most is connecting with people. We did a lot of livestreams during the pandemic and it was great but actually being able to move people and connect has been amazing!
How do you kill the long hours in the van?
My big thing is audiobooks and podcasts. It drives the other guys nuts haha. Definitely has been a lifesaver to kill time and also you can learn a lot while doing it.
How are you using your platform to support marginalized people?
We have made it very clear on our socials and at shows that there’s no room for hate in our camp. I try my best to listen and learn from my friends and family that are marginalized.