Brian Lopez is on a much-deserved vacation in Mexico. He’s taking a break before celebrating his new album, “Tidal,” for the first time in his hometown of Tucson.
The singer, who dubs his music “desert noir,” performs at Club Congress at 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6.
“It’s always a little bit more special when you can come back home,” the Tucson High School graduate said.
“It’s better than just telling people what you’ve been up to. People learn you’ve been working hard on your craft.”
Lopez was about ready to give up music when “Tidal” came knocking at his door. He was frustrated with the music business, as it seemed like every avenue he tried to travel, someone attempted to stop him.
He began stopping himself from writing music. The pandemic era helped reestablish his relationship with the art. He released 2018’s “Left Behind” to get out of his record contract. But “Tidal” “opened things up for me that I couldn’t imagine.”
“‘Tidal’ came after not wanting to do music anymore,” said Lopez, whose resume includes stints in Calexico, Giant Sand and XIXA.
“But during COVID, I did all the writing and recording. I could think straight. I wasn’t on tour. I could focus my energy on writing and falling back into the craft of writing music.”
“Tidal” was composed at his home in Tucson. The collection was produced by XIXA bandmate Gabriel Sullivan at their Dust and Stone Recording Studio.
It sees guest appearances by Calexico drummer John Convertino, Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall and Black Pumas singer Lauren Cervantes, among others.
“I was so inspired that the music started coming out,” he said. “Gabriel Sullivan helped me make sense of the songs. We were in the studio off and on. In 2020, we weren’t allowed to have more than four people in the room. Gabe did bass and drums on a lot of the tracks. We learned that we could work remotely.
“That opened the door for what was possible. A lot of people chipped in and made it fun. It’s a little less cohesive. I call it a Frankenstein album.”
Sullivan and Lopez are longtime colleagues. However, it was the first time Lopez felt “totally comfortable” having someone else to take and allow him to focus on the music.
“It took a lot of trust on my part,” the Tucson High School graduate said. “I know how to use that enthusiasm and momentum to get the job done. I appreciate the chance to have an objective ear for the first time.”
The pandemic plays a role in “Tidal,” with “Like a Virus,” which is lined with Mexican folk guitars and violins.
On “Tidal,” Lopez touches on tough subjects: the tragedy of the borderlands and the 300 unidentified bodies found in the desert in the past two years, death and heartbreak as well as mental health.
“Tidal” was the album of the month on the national French radio, which explains his two-week European tour, which includes his first headlining tour in France in a “really long time.”
Lopez spent 2023 touring behind “Tidal,” but hometown shows are important to musicians.
“I’ve been taking these songs and turning them into new pieces of art live on stage,” he said. “I’m happy with how it’s come along. The new songs take on a new life on the stage. The set also includes older songs and covers. We have lighting and a great engineer. The Tucson show means a lot to me. I expect to see a lot of familiar faces who have followed me throughout my humble career.”
Brian Lopez
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6
WHERE: Club Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, Tucson
COST: Tickets start at $22.46
INFO:
www.hotelcongress.com
This article appears in Dec 28, 2023 – Jan 4, 2024.
