Watch Lukas Nelson at the Paste Sessions From MerleFest

By Brad Wagner  |  September 6, 2024 | 12:00pm
Music Features Lukas Nelson
Watch Lukas Nelson at the Paste Sessions From MerleFest

Paste Studio “On The Road” rambles on, this time to Wilkesboro, N.C., for the 36th annual MerleFest! The festival was founded in 1988 in memory of Doc Watson’s son Merle, and features “traditional plus” music, described by Doc Watson himself as, “the traditional music of the Appalachian region plus whatever other styles we were in the mood to play.” Lukas Nelson wrapped up our MerleFest 2024 session series in grand style, sharing two new songs and one from the 2023 Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real album Sticks and Stones.

Full Session

Nelson trooped to the Paste x MerleFest pop-up studio on zero sleep between his previous night’s set at Stagecoach and this intimate three-song MerleFest session. Sincere tip of the cap, rock ‘n’ roll, game recognize game. First up is “Lying,” a song that sounds similar on the Sticks and Stones album to the way it sounds in this Paste session. The album arrangement features Lukas on an acoustic guitar, minimal production/instrumentation—just voice and guitar delivering a good song. Enjoy his MerleFest session version below, it rules.

“Lying”

The second song “Madness,” centers on the refrain: “And the birds sing poo-tee-weet / indifferent to the madness of men,” a line referencing Kurt Vonnegut’s final words in Slaughterhouse Five, reflecting on the meaninglessness of human conflict. The birds don’t give a shit about our existential crises; the birds are gonna sing one way or the other.

“Madness”

The last song is another new one, “I Feel Worse.” Big thanks to Lukas, MerleFest, and our friends at Window World for bringing these sessions to life, and please check out the rest of the Paste x MerleFest sessions in the series.

“I Feel Worse”

 
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