Jay Blakesberg
Joe Wilkinson has premiered a new single and accompanying music video for “Where the Wait Isn’t Long” exclusively with Relix. Today’s drop touches on several modes of meaning for its figurehead, referencing the significant time spent with Casal by supporting the late musician’s 1998 LP The Sun Rises Here across the UK and Europe. The song pervades memories that flooded some 25 years later, fruitfully informing Wilkinson’s latest release.
Wilkinson’s history with Casal is steeped in momentous experiences that parallel the bandleader’s late-nineties underground breakthrough, culled through times on the road, from sharing a van and traversing tour stops with fellow bandmates, keyboardist John Ginty (Allman Betts Band), drummer Jon Hummel, and bassist Dave DeCastro–encountering foreign languages, new places, and cultures, the ensemble emerged as brothers. The experience served as a timestamped souvenir, giving the players heaps of stories to return to.
The passing of time yielded changes steeped in the sting of reality. In 2019, at the age of 50, Casal took his own life, leaving former bandmates, friends, and music-based collaborators gutted and bewildered at the tragic loss. As artists do, many channeled their inner dialogues into song, paying respect to Casal. Wilkinson is the latest to join a list of artists to turn over musical commemoration in honor of the late and beloved guitarist.
“Where the Wait Isn’t Long” is Wilkinson’s tribute to a friend and former brother. Tapping into a bank of Casal associates, Ginty, who performed on all of the late musician’s solo albums, helps Wilkinson on today’s release, as does percussionist Chuck Wood, a New Jersey artist who also assisted on Neal’s solo sets. Additionally, Wilkinson harmonizes with Angie McKenna, using lyrics as a place to question and work toward acceptance in the wake of loss.
The list of contributors extends to include drummer Fredo Ortiz (Los Lobos), electric upright bass guitarist George Kapitanelis, and Ed Rainey on Dobro. Moreover, Neal’s friend of 30 years, Mark Seibel from the Neal Casal Music Foundation, tapped fellow recruit Deren Ney to illustrate the official music video, which takes the viewer on a guided tour of Casal’s photographs while actively following a monarch butterfly. All the while, ponderous lyrics bellow up as Wilkinson channels his myriad of emotions into poetics, harnessed to perfected instrumentals delivered with a thoughtful effect.
As an added point of significance, the song arrives during National Suicide Awareness Month. The Neal Casal Foundation was created to inspire and provide future and established musicians with mental health support. Backline also offers mental health resources so that artists and their families can access wellness support from trained professionals.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, please call 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
The post Video Premiere: Joe Wilkinson Offers Direct Tribute to Neal Casal on “Where the Wait Isn’t Long” appeared first on Relix Media.
