Innovative banjo player Gina Furtado launched her new band, The Gina Furtado Project,
with one goal in mind: Sharing her own artistic voice with deeply
personal songs about living life, swallowing pride and respecting
others’ journeys. On I Hope You Have A Good Life, her second album from Mountain Home Music Company, Furtado
shows she has invaluable awareness of the world around her — and of
herself — with songwriting that’s metaphorical yet literal, whimsical
yet sensible. Set to be released on September 27, the album is now available for pre-order.
Working with guitarist Chris Luquette — a holdover from Furtado’s 2017 debut, True Colors — alongside Nate Leath (fiddle), Danny Knicely (mandolin) and bassist Mark Fain to record the album, Furtado paints with another broad musical palette on the new release. There’s straight ahead bluegrass drive on numbers like “Shame” and “Princess And The Pea,” but there’s a dazzling array of other textures, too, like the spare banjo-and-vocal of “Story Of An Artist,” the raucous funk of “Can You Picture That” and the tropical syncopation of “Take Your Time.” Each
song is crafted with insightful originality, perfectly yet creatively
matching words with musical moods. Adding to the effect are additional
vocals from Malia Furtado, Teresa Furtado, Bryan McDowell and Chris Jones.
The album begins with the first single, “First Pebble,” which Furtado
describes as the most personal on the album. “This one was born soon
after my marriage fell apart and I looked around to find I was
surviving, and in fact thriving, when I thought that would not be the
case,” says Furtado. “Ending is just another word for beginning!”
Lyrically, Furtado authentically represents the feelings of dating and looking for companionship with songs about being rudely stood up (“Take Your Time”), having a debilitating crush (“Dancing To Your Tune”), and dealing with loneliness (“Man Like That”).
She plays with metaphors on “Airplane Ride” and “I Knew What To Do.” Of
the first she says traveling for music illustrates how life is a
journey. “This song summarizes my philosophy on how I’d like to live my
life (aka, my ‘airplane ride’): appreciate and enjoy one’s own journey
for what it is; acknowledge and respect that others’ are on theirs; and
be kind along the way,” says Furtado.
“I Knew What To Do” takes
listeners through the four seasons, taking note of how beautiful things
will always take the place of others when their time has passed. “There
cannot be new life without the loss of old,” says Furtado.
With just a hint of sadness, this song expresses what it’s like to
recognize and accept an ending, but look forward to a beginning.
Other songs include instrumental “The Princess And The Pea”; “Try,” about realizing that being human means sometimes winning and other times losing; a cover of “Story Of An Artist”; and “Shame,” a dark and driving song about how individuals can use their power for better or worse.
“What I hope to impart to my kids: ‘When you blame other people, you’re giving up your own power.’ ‘Shame’ is directed at whoever the listener is; not just those with what is typically regarded as a position of power,” says Furtado.
“I think we all have a unique power to improve the world. We can
complain and blame others for misusing their unique power, or we could
use our own to make our tiny piece of the world nicer.”
I Hope You Have A Good Life ends with Furtado’s version of “Can You Picture That” from The Muppets, capturing her fun loving spirit.
This collection of music proves Furtado’s
adept at setting her own path, both in life and music. Her raw and
honest storytelling resonates in today’s world where rushing and
selfishness are common, with a heartfelt reminder to appreciate the
journey of ourselves and others — all the while holding on to our own
power.
Pre-order I Hope You Have A Good Life HERE.