A Vast And Gorgeous Record from Hughes

An album release from Hughes delivers a vast and almost cinematic, emotionally bound and powerful soundscape that comes in the form of folk-driven songs but with full-bodied approaches, lush with instrumentation, and it all invites you to drift alongside it.

The self-titled Hughes record certainly has a lot of gorgeous layers and textures happening, and it's very easy to get sort of engulfed by the entire thing because it's got such a large scope in terms of its sounds.

The record can come through dreamlike and with a deepening aesthetic; you can get captured by the lyrics as they tell stories, at times with such deep description that you can paint different pictures in your head, but it's the music that really sets these moods and swims around in the air that surrounds you.

The whole thing keeps to a cross between folk, Americana, and elements of Country, along with a beautiful singer-songwriter approach, starting with the very first track, "Despite The Distance". 

This first single showcases the record's many amazing staples, including layers of gorgeously toned acoustic guitars, lap or pedal steel, and robust vocals that tell the stories.

This is an excellent track to introduce the record with because you start to get pulled into the atmosphere it delivers. Believe me when I tell you, This Record delivers quite a thick atmosphere.

A lot of the record has this incredible vastness in its undertone. Songs like "Passerby" serve as a perfect example because you can hear these spacious and ambient textures fill the air, and these are the things that let it sound kind of dreamy and give the record this beautiful and natural, forward-moving flow.

There's something so smooth about a lot of the instrumentation and performances throughout this record.

The way the vocals are performed was perfect with all of this because that tone is deeper, and it works well with the beautiful and sort of light elements of the music a lot of the time.

A lot of this is due to how the record was mixed. I don't always talk about the mix of a record, but with this album, it's imperative because whoever did the mixing knew the mission.

This record is drenched in reverb effect in a lot of different ways, with a lot of different instruments.

This is a big part of why the record has that huge ambient atmosphere that it puts out. It's also why it feels emotional at times as well.

Like I said before, a lot of the time you pay attention to the vocals because they do tell some great stories, and at times with amazing detail. The vocal performance also shows some emotion, but the lyrics themselves can express a lot of inner thought and describe situations so that you can follow along with everything that's happening.

The music sets those moods.

This is one of those records that you listen to all the way through. You don't listen to just a few tracks. Listening to one or two songs from this release may give you a little gist or idea of what you may expect, but it will not give you the full spectrum of what the whole album has to offer.

Listening to the whole record is more of an experience than anything else. It serves as a great, cinematic, and vast escape that you again sort of get swallowed up by, and eventually washed away with.

It's a beautiful experience, all in all, and serves as an amazing escape as well. The record has quite an ability to pull you away from wherever you are and whatever you're doing and put you in a completely different state of mind or World.

The guitar work across this release is astounding. There are so many great approaches, still sticking to some of that country and folk, Americana, and roots tonalities, but reaching out into different areas so that songs become spacious and big.

Those lap steels do an amazing job of adding such a gorgeous flow to the record, and they're not in the background at all. These instruments are right up front, giving that airy and almost colorful underbelly to a lot of the music.

Everything is very well balanced here. You get plenty of lyrics to get stuck on, taking you on journeys and embedding you in their stories, big and expansive tones that pull you into these gorgeous aesthetics, and still, the roots-folk, Country, and Americana styles are embedded in the veins of this record.

There are loads of character and personality laced throughout the album as well.

After you get halfway through the record, you start to pick up on a lot of these attributes and realize that you're listening to stories that have deeper meaning.

I love a record that's got character, the way this one does. It's so robust and in your face, but beautifully performed with such a graceful and elegant soundscape that you want more and more of it as you listen through.

I also really dig that cinematic backbone. One of my favorite songs on the record is actually the closing track called "The Cabin", which boasts such a great vocal melody, even in the verses.

This track really lets you sit and think.

It's got that big, cinematic feel, and it's quite an ideal song to close the record with as well.

The whole thing is beautiful.

Not only do I suggest listening to the full album in one shot, but I suggest doing it with headphones on so you can really soak in all the distant layers of these atmospheres in the songs.

With the release of such a well-woven album, we wanted to sit down with the band to find out where this record came from and what might be coming up next.

Here's what happened.

Let's talk about the self-titled Hughes album! This record felt vast, cinematic, honest, and hit all kinds of Americana, Country and folk styles! Where did this album come from?

The album actually comes from years of songwriting and personal exploration. Some of the songs on the record are over ten years old, while others are brand new, so it’s a mix of early ideas and more recent experiences. Hughes started as a solo project, so for much of that time, I was writing and recording alone. That allowed me to explore different approaches to lyrics, melodies, and arrangements without worrying about fitting a specific band format. When we became a full band in November 2024, collaborating with these amazing musicians added a new layer — their playing influenced the groove, the dynamics, and the feel of the songs, even though much of the writing and tracking had already been done. In many ways, the album reflects both the intimacy of a solo vision and the energy of a full band coming together.

I'm hearing those different styles on this record! Who are some of your biggest musical influences?

My influences, particularly on this record, are pretty wide-ranging, but they all share this commitment to honesty and storytelling. Artists like Dick Stusso, Kurt Vile, Jesse Woods, Jeffrey Silverstein, Duff Thompson, and Rose City Band have shaped how I think about texture, melody, and emotional nuance. On the modern country side, Sturgill Simpson and Charley Crockett have influenced me with their narrative-driven songwriting and their ability to blend tradition with something fresh. What connects all of these artists is a sense of authenticity — music that feels lived-in, cinematic, and deeply personal.

Do you write songs together as a band, or do you have one or two main songwriters that bring ideas back to the rest?

Hughes didn't become a band until less than a year ago so for the debut album, it was me writing and recording everything. Now that I'm backed by some incredible musicians who happen to be great friends, I expect writing to be a bit more collaborative. I might bring a nearly finished track, but once the band starts playing, I hope they naturally add their own ideas — subtle rhythms, grooves, or textures that completely transform the song. Even tracks I wrote years ago feel fresh when we perform and record them as a band. The collaborative energy brings an extra depth that I couldn’t have achieved alone. I'm excited for the next chapter of writing and recording for Hughes.

One song on the album was co-written with a friend of mine who is a lyricist. The song is Sideways, and its the first time I've take someone else's lyrics and crafted an arrangement and vocal melody to it.

How did this all start for you as a band?

Hughes began as a solo project, a way to explore songs and ideas I cared about. For years, it was just me writing and recording at home, slowly refining each track. Back in 2022, I decided to put music I had been working on out into the world, and did it under the monicker, Hughes. So, for the last 2-3 years I had been performing as a solo artist, just me and my acoustic guitar, layering in ambient textures through pedals, synth effects, and loops. In November 2024, I was able to bring together these incredibly talented musicians to perform and collaborate. That transition has been exciting — we’re not just playing the songs; we’re reshaping them, experimenting with dynamics, and finding new ways to make them resonate. The album reflects that evolution from solo recordings to a full-band experience, blending the original intimacy with the energy of the group.

Did you guys record this at a home studio , or did you hit a big studio for this?

The majority of the album was tracked in my home studio, "The Penalty Box". That gave me freedom to experiment, tweak, and refine each song over time. I could layer different instruments, experiment with arrangements, and really focus on the emotional detail. Coincidentally, I was also recording there at the same time with my stoner rock/doom band, Gnarwhal, so it was a nice contrast going from those songs to the Hughes songs, while also being in the zone and headspace of recording during the long cold Yellowknife winter.

After the band came together, playing the songs collectively influenced how some of the later recordings felt — even if the tracking was mostly done, hearing the group breathe life into them added a whole new dimension. I worked with a session pedal steel player in Chicago who added some amazing layers to the songs, and my producer, Dan Ponich (Park Sound Studio in Vancouver, BC - CANADA) - added synth, piano, and sample layering. The album was mixed by Dan at Park Sound and mastered by David Collins.

Two of the songs on the album are also features with some amazing friends and musicians who put their personal touches on those songs (Ben Cornel on Passerby; and Shea Alain on The Cabin).

Are you performing live right now? Any touring in support of the release?

Yes! We're definitely performing live, and it’s been amazing to see how the songs transform on stage. Some tracks take on entirely new energy with the full band, and it’s exciting to experiment with arrangements in a live setting. We had a busy summer with festival shows and some intimate gigs, with some potential dates coming up. It’s incredibly rewarding to connect with listeners in person and watch the songs resonate in real time — especially knowing some of them have been evolving for over a decade.

We're hoping to get on the road in 2026 to perform in some new places!

Now that this is out, what's next for you?

Right now, we're going to take a bit of a rest after a busy summer promoting the record and sharing these songs live. But creatively, we’re already thinking about what comes next. To me, the album feels like a milestone in a longer journey, not a conclusion. In a since it actually feels like the beginning, given that we came together as a full band around the time the album was completed. We’re wanting to explore some new material, experimenting with sound, and considering where Hughes can grow as a full band. For me, the music is an ongoing conversation, and the release is just one chapter in a larger story.

Who's in your headphones right now?

Lately, it’s been a mix of indie-folk, Americana, modern country, neo-psych rock, and classic rock. I’ve been listening to artists like Dick Stusso, Kurt Vile, Rose City Band, and Duff Thompson for texture and songwriting, and Sturgill Simpson and Charley Crockett for narrative inspiration. On the neo-psych and classic rock side, I’m exploring bands that experiment with sonic landscapes and timeless grooves (Osees, Glyders, The Nude Party), which helps me think about arrangements and dynamics for Hughes. I’m drawn to music that feels authentic, layered, and emotionally resonant — something that informs both our recordings and the way we approach performing live.

What would you tell people they can expect on this release?

Listeners can expect a range of emotions, stories, and musical textures. Each song has its own identity — some are stripped-down folk moments, others more cinematic with layered instrumentation. The record takes you on a journey, blending tracks written over ten years with newer songs, all filtered through the lens of both solo writing and full-band collaboration. The result is honest, varied, and reflective of where Hughes has been creatively — a mix of intimacy, groove, and cinematic storytelling.

Before we go, what would you like to express to fans of the music? 

I just want to say thank you. Whether you’ve followed Hughes from the very beginning or are discovering the music for the first time, it means so much that you’re listening and connecting with these songs. I put a lot of myself into every track, and sharing them with people who resonate with them is incredibly meaningful. I hope the music gives you something to feel, reflect on, and maybe even sing along to, and I'm excited to continue this journey with everyone who listens and follows.

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