Though Two Gallants singer/guitarist Adam Stephens is taking a break from the San Francisco group for an upcoming solo record, to use the word “solo” might be a tad misleading: Adams has enlisted a host of well-known friends for the to-be-announced LP, making it more of a full band effort, perhaps, than the Americana-meets-emo duo that brought him into the limelight.
In a blog update posted in January, Stephens revealed his solo debut’s all-star guest lineup, which includes former Nine Inch Nails touring bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen, My Morning Jacket’s Bo Koster and Patrick Hallahan, ex-Whiskeytown member Mike Daly, Atoms For Peace/Beck/Elliott Smith drummer Joey Waronker, Vetiver’s Andy Cabic, Decemberists collaborator Petra Haden, Blood Brothers’ Cody Votolato, Jen Grady, and Blake Mills, among others.
Stephens promises that more details about the forthcoming Joe Chicarelli-produced album are on the way, but in the meantime, two demos and a collection of live videos are available on his MySpace page for a taste of what’s to come. Haven’t listened to Two Gallants in quite some time, but I, for one, can’t wait to hear what this epic list of collaborators have cooked up.