Digging Deeper Toward the Sky

5 songs • 26 minutes • Released 10.17
All songs written by Bill Price ©2017 Mr. Quill Music (BMI)

Song Samples

About the EP

Digging Deeper Toward the Sky is the follow-up EP to the I Can’t Stop Looking at the Sky project. “The songs are about the same themes, but they didn’t really fit—not only in terms of space, but in terms of style,” Price says. While the I Can’t Stop Looking at the Sky project is much more open-ended lyrically and more varied in song style and instrumentation, these five new songs are much more direct and acoustic-based. They are more along the lines of what most people would term “singer-songwriter.”

Tracklist

1. Ordinary Time
2. As They Come
3. Don’t Put the Child Away Too Long
4. Saint Ampersand
5. The Last Refugee

Credits

Produced by Bill Price and Michael Graham
Recorded mixed and mastered at The Lodge by Michael Graham

Garry Bole: Mandolin, Hammond Organ
Michael Clark: Dobro
Stasia Demos: Harmony Vocals
Paul Holdman: Cittern, Electric Lead Guitar
Allison Irvine: Violin
Grover Parido: Cello
Bill Price: Vocals and Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Hammond Organ, Harmonica
Jamey Reid: Drums, Percussion
Jeff Stone: Electric Bass, Upright Bass

Reviews

Thematically Related to the Big Box from 2016

By Roger Bengtsson, Ung Tro, Swedish magazine/website 11.28.18

4 out of 5 stars

This EP is launched as “A musical companion to I Can’t Stop Looking at the Sky,” which was an extensive box set from 2016 by Bill Price. A box full of music, pictures, a journal, a book and a lot of material that were both artistically stylish and musically diverse and exciting. Of course, it’s fun with a companion piece and if I understand it correctly, from the information in the CD jacket, the lyrics to this EP were already included in the book that was in the box. I would have to jump out of the armchair and check if it is true, but I may do that another time.

These five songs are at least thematically related and are overall a little more acoustic. I think Bill still is high class, and in the uptempo track “Saint Ampersand,” I fully enjoy the music. Even the quieter songs are really nice, especially “Don’t Put the Child Away Too Long,” which is really brilliant. If you have already purchased the boxed set, you will, of course, get this EP as well. If not, you should go for both. Really great stuff.

By Wolfgang Giese, musikansich.de,  12.18

16 out of 20 stars

Digging Deeper Towards the Sky is not Bill Price’s first release. His first album was in 2003. This EP is now the seventh record  from the American singer-songwriter from Indiana, USA.

Stylistically, his music is based on folk elements, paired with the typical elements of the singer-songwriter genre, as it did in the 1970s. Well, today you may be able to put that in the drawer of Americana, but that’s kind of the direction in which the five songs are moving. They all sound quite different and all breathe their own atmosphere.

While the first song has a touch of country music, fiddle and mandolin provide the appropriate expression, while the longest piece of the EP, “As They Come,” radiates a very dreamy folkloric feel. The electric guitar complements and emphasizes the calm mood. Price reminds me a little of Roger McGuinn in terms of expression.

“Don’t Put the Child Away Too Long” is a little rock-oriented, with a touch of Tom Petty. With “Saint Ampersand,” there’s a brisk tempo. The strong acoustic bass uses a slap technique to give it a rockabilly feel. The last song is very lyrical and romantic in expression and has subtle nuances in the instrumentation. A very well thought-out arrangement has been implemented here.

Taken as a whole, the music of this short EP emanates a very warm-hearted atmosphere, based in folk, influenced lyrically by the sixties and seventies but delivered with a contemporary slant. So this is a very successful release!

By Valsam Rootstime, Belgian magazine/website  01.19

There’s no need for Indianapolis-based musician, Bill Price to prove his qualities as singer-songwriter. As a follow-up to his double album, I Can’t Stop Looking at the Sky that was released in 2016, he is now offering us five additional compositions on the EP Digging Deeper Toward the Sky. Another set of highly classy stuff!

Bill Price is an American folk singer-songwriter from Indianapolis, Indiana who has released seven albums and EPs since he started his musical career in 2001. The most recent release dates from the end of 2017 and is only now under our attention via the Swedish agency Hemifran. This time it is a five-song EP with songs that Bill Price composed in 2017 after the release of his previous album I Can’t Stop Looking at the Sky, a double album from 2016. The EP is meant to be a musical companion to the previous album.

The title of this self-produced mini album is Digging Deeper Toward the Sky and the five songs included last a total of less than half an hour, but that is more than enough to convince us of what Bill Price is all about in this effort. The arrangements for the songs are mostly acoustic and were performed with guitars, bass, drums and violin and cello. The poetic lyrics are somewhat more personally inspired compared to his previous album.

The opening track is the swinging folkrock song “Ordinary Time,” followed by the almost 7 and a half minute troubadour epic that is narrated in the song “As They Come.” More poppy and more broadly orchestrated is the third song “Don’t Put the Child Away Too Long.” Track number four, “Saint Ampersand” will bring the audience to the dance floor for some swinging rock n roll.

To conclude, Bill Price again opted for a beautiful acoustic folk ballad with a sober but emotionally presented story about “The Last Refugee.” Of course, he does no longer has to prove his qualities after recording and releasing seven records, but it still remains a pleasure for us to listen to the beautiful country-infused compositions from Bill Price and that is now possible again via the five songs on his EP Digging Deeper Toward the Sky.

Fine Start to the New Year

By Kenneth Hammargren, Värmlands Folkblad, Swedish newspaper  01.19

The mini-CD of five songs created by American singer-songwriter and author Bill Price is a perfect complement to the powerful music project I Can’t Stop Looking at the Sky from 2016. The mini-CD covers the same themes, but the material is more acoustically and lyrically adapted. The songs were inspired by a trip to the American Northwest—west of Bill Price’s home region of Indiana. Much of the music feels like roots-based old time music but it also switches over to faster country rhythms like in “Saint Ampersand.” Price sings and plays the guitar, organ and harmonica with a backing band featuring stringed instruments and percussion A finely tuned start to the new year.

Rootsville.eu, Belgian magazine/website  01.19

Bill Price is from Indiana and is not only a singer-songwriter but also an author and graphic artist, which is why he creates the designs for his albums. This EP with the title Digger Deeper Toward the Sky can be seen as a companion to his in 2016 album I Can’t Stop Looking At The Sky. This EP was released in the United States last year, but only now has it been release in Europe.

The music of Bill Price can be placed in the folk genre, although he sometimes puts a touch of country in his songs such as on “Ordinary Time.” Much of his music is supported by the presence of folk elements such as a fiddle or a mandolin.

With a length of almost 7:30, “As They Come” is a very dreamy track. A song with a nod to Roger McGuinn. With songs like “Don’t Put the Child Away Too Long,” Bill Price ends up here in the pop-rock area, after which “Saint Ampersand” returns more to the country style.

Bill closes here on this EP with the mellow “The Last Refugee” and with that he delivers a mini album with a nice diversity of musical styles.

By Mike Penard, Radio ISA, French radio  12.30.18

I already knew this EP, aired it in the past, getting the copy again gave me the opportunity to re-listen and in a way to rediscover this very enjoyable EP that ends with the beautiful song “The Last Refugee.” Every thing sounds clear in Bill Price’s music—his words, his sounds, his melodies, his voice.

By Micheles Kindh, Blaskan, Swedish magazine/website 12.18

An EP with five good songs from Bill Price that really brings out the beauty of musicians and transmits right out into the walks of eternity. This music makes me happy. The songs are skillful compositions that are reinforced by the power of the performances.

Late for the Sky, Italian magazine/website 12.17

This mini album of five songs for a total of 26 minutes is Price’s seventh release, conceived as a stand-alone album, but also as a kind of follow up the double I Can’t Stop Looking at the Sky, an ambitious project that also includes a book that has the same title as the EP, published in 2015. Price claims that these are songs that, despite having a common theme, such as style and lyrics did not lend themselves to being included with those of the double album, being lyrically direct and predominantly acoustic. Both the book and album are inspired by a trip to the western United States. The complete project, the result of four years of work, includes a 120-page diary, a 160-page book with stories, reflections and poems related to the theme of travel and other aspects of life, posters, stickers and memorabilia, sold together on site www.billprice.info.

Originally from Indiana, Price was part of the Off The Tracks group in the 1980s In the following decade he formed the acoustic duo The Mighty Quintessentials with Mario Noche and then the trio The Brains Behind Pa, inspired by the music of Bob Dylan who released an EP of traditional music in 2002 and the album Better For The Deal in 2006. He made his first solo album, Bones & Apples in 2003, followed four years later by EP The Circus & The Gallows. Alternating solo activities and collaborations, he has gained a fair amount of attention in Europe and Australia, as well as in some areas of the United States.

“Ordinary Time” opens the disc with a successful intertwining of mandolin and violin that accompany the melodic voice of Price, who plays guitar, organ and harmonica on the EP, aided by the rhythm section of Jamey Reid (drums) and Jeff Stone (bass). “As They Come” is a delicate songwriting folk-type ballad, with a refined electric guitar solo. “Don’t Put the Child Away Too Long” has a more relaxed atmosphere, while “Saint Ampersand” is a lively rock-tinged track with rockabilly influences, which benefits from an interesting mixture of Hammond and guitar. “The Last Refugee” softly closes the disc without shining particularly, but overall, in Digging Deeper Toward the Sky, Price displays distinct writing and interpretation skills.

Most People Will Be Pleased

By Musikbloggen 67, Swedish magazine/website 11.22.18

3.5 out of 5 stars

Digging Deeper Toward the Sky is Bill Price’s New EP. I have written about Bill Price’s last full length album, earlier and compared him to Paul Simon and David Byrne. On this EP, I think he rather sounds a bit more like Todd Snider.

The first three songs are, in my opinion, really good ones you will love, but then comes and uptempo shuffle and then an end to the disc that really does not add anything.

Songs to listen to: “Ordinary Time,” “As They Come” and “Don’t Put The Child Away Too Long.”