On the upcoming album “A New World,” there’s strikingly obvious maturity in the songwriting of local troubadour Peyton Tochterman. Previous efforts saw Tochterman being a little more playful, when he fronted the bluegrass trio Fair Weather Bums or his cross-genre big band High Society, which featured Virginia trumpet hero John D’earth and skilled mandolin picker Andy Thacker.
The latest album has peeled back the layers and focused more on serious introspection. During recovery from debilitating neck surgery, Tochterman had plenty of time to think.
“The last couple years of my life have been challenging, and I wanted to write about it,” Tochterman says. “The album is personal, with no smoke and mirrors. Through writing the record, I have found a new way of looking at things.”
In the standout “Johnsburg,” the singer imagines the scene of retrieving a long-lost lover. With vivid heartland imagery of Main Street and a rag top convertible, a dusty rhythm and Tocherman’s endearing raspy drawl, the song immediately resembles “Nebraska”-era Springsteen.
On “God and Country (The True Story of Red Roundtree),” he tells the vivid story of a hard-luck war veteran forced to turn to a life of crime with some appropriately sparse acoustic strumming. There’s more optimism on the lighthearted, harmonica-driven folk pop of “Need Me or Not,” which finds Tochterman trading verses with Stacey Earle.
Tochterman made “A New World” at Dave Matthews’ Haunted Hollow Studios with stellar production help from guitar ace Sam Wilson of Sons of Bill.
The biggest catalyst for Tochterman’s growth, though, has been the mentorship of contemporary folk legend Ellis Paul, who also lives in Charlottesville.
“He’s been in the trenches for over 20 years,” Tochterman says. “I bounce a lot of ideas off him, and he gives me advice about my songs that always makes sense. The best thing about it is I’ve gained a close friend.”
Tochterman will celebrate the new album with a CD release show at the Southern Café and Music Hall tonight. His band for the evening will include bassist Darrell Muller, drummer Brian Jones and guitarist Brian Chenault. Then he’s hitting the road for a long stint of dates opening for Paul that he expects to last at least the next year and a half.
During his upcoming travels, Tochterman has shows booked at intimate folk clubs, where he’ll just be performing with his voice and guitar.
“There’s a different energy and vibe,” Tochterman says of playing solo. “I love the craft of songwriting and playing in that setting will definitely help me focus. The folk world is the best place to perfect that art. It’s more me.”
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