FRIENDS AND FAMILY: Back Home by Joshua Quimby

As we reflect on our upbringings, it can be hard to put into words the distinct feeling of growing up alongside your hometown. You may move away and change as a person, but when you return you get to see the ways your town has changed, too. This can bring up complex feelings of nostalgia, grief, and pride, all of which are addressed beautifully in our friend Joshua Quimby’s new album Back Home, his second LP featuring New England country and folk music with a heavier dose of blues than his 2022 debut. With his patently gritty vocals and a highly tuned-in 3-piece band, Joshua crafts energetic stories as infectious as they are technically impressive. His lyrics are always intensely personal, but with this album he shares stories about his Connecticut hometown and family that even we as close friends haven’t heard before. Exploring his family lineage, his hometown, and why he left it, Joshua holds a distinct sense of pacing both musically and emotionally, balancing moments of subdued vulnerability with moments of joy and humor. Although I may be biased, I find it impressive for such a young artist to be able to narrativize his life experiences in a way that’s so engaging and compelling. With this public embrace of his story, it’s a joy to hear Joshua continue to become a fully embodied artist, developing his sound while coming into his own as a force in the alt/country scene.