Lil Smokies give 'Tornillo's' music room to breathe

It’s rare that a Montana band achieves national renown. You can probably count them on one hand. Lil Smokies is without a doubt one of them. And their star is on the rise.

The guys who met in Missoula at the University of Montana a decade ago are on the verge of releasing their third album Jan. 24 and have launched a lengthy winter/spring tour throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The Lil Smokies will be performing at the Great Northern Whitefish from Dec. 27 to 29.

The Montana group will also be playing at the 2020 Under the Big Sky concert July 18 and 19 in Whitefish.

The Lil Smokies are reimagining their acoustic approach to roots music on “Tornillo,” named for the remote Texas town where the album was recorded. Produced by Bill Reynolds (The Avett Brothers, Band of Horses), The Lil Smokies’ lineup features Matt Cornette (banjo), Andy Dunnigan (vocals, dobro), Scott Parker (bass), Matt “Rev” Rieger (guitar, vocals) and Jake Simpson (fiddle, vocals).

Recorded at Sonic Ranch studio, “Tornillo” paints a picture of longing for home, missing loved ones and all the tribulations that come from spending years hustling on the road.

“Tornillo” is a focused and refined representation of the sound The Lil Smokies have become known for. Their dynamic musicianship, anthemic songs, and packed tour schedule have launched The Lil Smokies’ career, checking off goals many musicians dream of — Red Rocks, LOCKN’, High Sierra, Telluride, Bourbon & Beyond, and millions of streams on Spotify. Along the way The Lil Smokies have swept up awards. In 2013, they won the Northwest String Summit Band Competition in Oregon. Two years later they won a band competition at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado, and in 2016 they picked up the International Bluegrass Music Association Momentum Award for best band.

The Lil Smokies’ camaraderie on stage is every bit a reflection of their bond off stage.

“We’re all best friends, and I really do mean that with sincerity,” Whitefish native Andy Dunnigan said in a release.

On “Tornillo,” the band dove deep into their well of influences — most notably the Laurel Canyon songwriters from the 1970s (think Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills Nash and Young, the Eagles, Carole King) — and used their traditional string band instruments to craft very non-traditional songs and arrangements. Throughout the album’s 11 tracks the band found themselves trekking into new sonic territory. With the goal to enhance the songs, never overwhelming them, The Lil Smokies used their last few days in the studio to experiment.

As one of the centerpieces of the album, “Carry Me” offers magnificent musicianship and eludes to the distance created by life on the road.

“It’s about the dreams we have, and what we go through to make those dreams live on.” Dunnigan said.

While that longing for a sense of home permeates “Tornillo,” the band also found inspiration in unlikely places. “Giant” was written after Dunnigan watched a documentary about Andre the Giant and his struggles with living in the public eye. Other songs, like “Fortunes” and “True Blues,” are less obvious in their origins.

“I like having a little bit of ambiguity in songs, using some impressionistic lyrics and making it sparse,” Dunnigan said.

Another common thread weaves through “Tornillo” — room for the music to breathe.

“It seems like over time we’re learning it’s not the more you play, but the tastefulness and space in between the notes that can pull that emotion out,” Dunnigan said. The band attributes a lot of that space and emotion to the outdoors where they recharge and find their inspiration. During the recording process, the band pursued activities like rafting, fly-fishing, hiking, and rock-climbing, which all played a role in creating the space and emotion so apparent on the record.

The album closes with the title track, “Tornillo.” Having gone through a few different arrangements for “Tornillo,” The Lil Smokies landed on a simple, uplifting piano arrangement to carry the album home.

“Although initially inspired by an article on simulation theory, “Tornillo” was written for my girlfriend,” Dunnigan said. But the song can just as easily be interpreted as a love letter to the town of “Tornillo” and the band’s experience on the 2,300-acre pecan orchard which houses the Sonic Ranch studio.

“Our time there encapsulates all of the good things about being in a band and making music,” Dunnigan said. “The word ‘“Tornillo”’ in its literal definition means a screw or a bolt. That’s exactly what this experience in the studio did for us as a band. We really came together and worked as a unit, and we got back to those reasons why we do this.”

The transcendent vibe of Sonic Ranch ultimately helped the band recalibrate, resulting in an album that’s both exhilarating and introspective.

Headed for release Jan. 24 “Tornillo” is available for pre-order on the bands website, www.thelilsmokies.com.