Black Prairie has teamed with author and friend Jon Mooallem to create the soundtrack to his book, Wild Ones (Penguin Press), a meditation on wildlife inhabiting the terrain of our imagination as much as the actual land.  The band will be releasing an extended EP digitally on May 14^th through their own Captain Bluegrass Records, the week the book becomes available.  A limited edition of 10” clear vinyl and handpackaged CDs will be available on June 11th.  Pre-orders, including 50 signed vinyl or CD + signed book packages, are available here.

Wild Ones is described on the album art as, “a musical score for the things that you might see in your head when you reflect on certain characters and incidents that you read about in the book.”

Mooallem listened to Black Prairie’s Storm in the Barn record (music commissioned for a children’s play based on a book of the same name by Matt Phelan) while writing Wild Ones and was inspired to ask the band to contribute music.  “There’s a layer of emotion to every story or experience that writing can’t always capture–something non-verbal,” says Jon Mooallem.  “Black Prairie’s music recreates those moods.”

“We are always up for a challenge,” says bassist Nate Query.  “The book is very compelling, both intellectual and humorous, with so many vivid scenes and characters.  My margin notes would read, ‘should we write a song about a dolphin who lives with and has a sexual relationship with a human woman?”

The music is cinematic folk, with Mooallem contributing the song titles and sequence.  “The idea is to listen to Wild Ones over the same period of time as you read the book,” adds Query.   “This seemed like a no-brainer, if a bit unconventional.”

You can watch filmmaker Sachi Cunningham’s  trailer for the book featuring “Dawn Departure, Jefferson County” from the EP here.

Black Prairie US Tour Dates:

May 3 – Portland, OR      May Day Music Fest Alhambra Theatre (w/ Hook & Anchor)

June 10 – Seattle, WA         Triple Door (w/ Jon Mooallem)

June 16 – Manchester, TN   Bonnaroo, Ed Helms’ Bluegrass Situation Stage

July 14 – Veneta, OR           Oregon Country Fair

July 19 – North Plains, OR  String Summit Festival

July 28 – Newport, RI           Newport Folk Festival

July 29 – New York, NY       City Winery (w/Michael Hurley)

Oct 19 – Portland, OR           ‘Portland’s Indies’ w/ the Oregon Symphony

Wild Ones Track Listing:

1.  “Call of the Wild Ones:  A Theme”

2.  “Chasing Martha”

3.  “The Upturned Nose of Count Buffon”

4.  “A Tranquilized Polar Bear Rising through an Autumn Sky”

5.  “Flight of the Forgotten Metalmarks”

6.  “Dear Sir.  Most Sincerely, William Temple Hornaday”

7.  “Rudi Mattoni in Soup Stage”

8.  “A Waltz for George and Tex”

9.  “Joan McIntyre”

10.  “Dawn Departure, Jefferson County”

11.  “The Man Who Carried Fish”