Bay Street RecordsStewart Lindsey, the duo featuring Eurythmics member Dave Stewart and young Louisiana-based singer Thomas Lindsey, have just released their second studio album, Amitié (pr: ah-muh-tee-AY).
Stewart offers gushing praise for Lindsey’s vocal abilities, telling ABC Audio, “He’s up there with the great singers.
The nine-track collection showcases Thomas’ uniquely powerful, vibrato-heavy vocals and Dave’s stripped-down guitar and sparse arrangements.
Stewart says that although most of the album was written and recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic, the way he works with Lindsey is similar to being in lockdown.
“Thomas is not really keen on flying or traveling, and he lives in the middle of Louisiana,” notes Dave. “This album was made a lot with me…sending him tunes [played] on the guitar, two-and-a-half-minute or three-minute long, with melodies. And Thomas would send me something back with him singing on top. Or vice versa. He’d sing unaccompanied, and then I’d try and work out what great sort of chord progressions would work underneath, and add stuff to it.”
The album’s title is French for friendship, which Stewart says reflects his relationship with Lindsey and the music they make together.
As he explains, “There’s two people that are in different parts of the world creating this kind of unique, ethereal, weird, gospel-y, soul, blues-y music that sounds like we’re sitting next to each other in the kitchen.”
The duo’s collaboration began several years ago, after Lindsey contacted the Eurythmics star via Twitter. Dave was blown away by Thomas, and the two soon recorded their debut album, 2016’s Spitballin’.
While no Stewart Lindsey performances are being planned to promote Amitié, the duo have been creating videos for all of the album’s tracks, four of which are viewable now on YouTube.
By Matt Friedlander
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