Young Moon
Catching up with Trevor Montgomery from Young Moon; press photos appear courtesy of the artist.
Over the years we have followed San Francisco artist Trevor Montgomery from Tarentel, Lazarus, to the first Young Moon album Navigated Like the Swan, and now we it is our esteemed pleasure & privilege to present the world premiere of the Joseph Wilinksi video for the title track “Colt” from Montgomery’s recent Western Vinyl album. The visuals begin at the Mission locale of The Chapel, before adventuring over to Golden Gate Park, a pensive merry-go-round ride on a carousel, strolls through Bernal Heights, Corona Heights, Kite Hill, and various other natural park environments. As a born again believer in the healing power of yoga that has reinvigorated the artist’s latest cycle of songs, Trevor returns the fold with Danny Grody on guitars & keys, bassist Jeff Moller, along with the new addition of Syam Zapalowski on percussion duties. Trevor described the recent evolution of his band, “It was a natural progression for Young Moon. I needed to have more dynamics and volume to tell the stories the way they were laying out in my head.” Montgomery further described how his recovery from a breakup would lay the groundwork for not just healthier living, but gave him new musical inspirations:
That part of me was broken. My life was pretty broken as well. I chanted, stretched, sweated, juiced, and ate salads…transformed my body first and foremost. I kept practicing yoga five to seven days a week, and I started my daily meditation practice. It was at the two-year point that I was ready to start playing music again. I’m sure there are other songwriters and artists out there that can relate to not being able to work due to just being too broken, too sad. I don’t blame my relationship failing at all, that was just the spark that made me realize that I was really fucked up on a ton of levels.
Trevor’s personal penned songs are heard and seen among environments that compliment the introspective & creative nature of the Young Moon mood and sentimental mode at play. The opening of the Young Moon video finds Trevor at The Chapel venue where he introduces “Colt” with the “she’s like the most beautiful, koala bear, angel, blissful, joyful, loveful thing. This song is called ‘Cold’.” Montgomery’s song of equestrian personification finds the songwriter, singer, & aspiring yogi running through his memory’s back pages amid majestic backdrops of roman pillars in the park, sun-kissed trails, wild city views of San Francisco, and other spots in the urban wilderness that underscore the open ending questions of “where do we go from here?” Young Moon picks through the pride of the past when things were “easier” and the pratfalls of getting lost in love (“fell into love when I fell for you”) and the aftermath of love lost recalled in lyrics like, “when I was on the run, everything seemed so slow, all of the lights were dim, all of our hearts were low…” The therapeutic sound is seen carrying through Trevor on his meditative walk around the city where the reckoning of unresolved feelings finds something akin to a certain peace amid breathtaking locations of natural splendor to assuage existential unrest & emotional anguish. Read our interview with Young Moon’s main man Trevor Montgomery himself.
What sorts of horse-drawn visions and ‘new lease on life’ sentiments set the groundwork for you new album Colt?
I spent a lot of time on the front stoop of my apartment building with the guitar watching people walk by and just playing, things start coming eventually when you break through the ego walls. Walls come down and light gets in. I believe in discipline and repetition and the more often you do something the easier it is to tap the well within you.
Tell us about working with Joseph Wilinksi on the video for the title track, shot at SF’s The Chapel, and various natural escapes around the Bay, and how those visuals underscored certain reflective meanings for you.
Joseph was great! He has an exuberance and patience that put me at ease. I felt I was in good hands. SF is so cinematic and that is one of the reasons I love it here so much.
The Young Moon crew; press photo courtesy of the artists.
How has yoga, meditation, and good eating also impacted your creative side along with personal components?
It has transformed my creative practice. My ability for clarity and focus is so much greater than it used to be. It’s easier for me to see how fortunate I am to be able to make music. I am so grateful that I have this voice and the vision to make songs. Sharing music with people is a great gift and I intend to do it as much as I can!
How do you find the balance between tile work, music, yoga, & more in your life?
There is room for everything, it’s meant to be that way. I love what I do and when it comes time to be tired or to be of service doing something you love I will always find myself choosing the love option.
Talking with Young Moon’s Trevor Montgomery; press photo courtesy of the artist.
What have you yourself been listening to, reading, watching, or just generally very excited about these days?
In the last week I have been obsessed with Fleetwood Mac and Durutti Column.
I am very excited for the new season of “Mr. Robot”!
Any parting hints at what’s next for Young Moon?
I have been recording a bunch of song ideas at my new space in the Hunters Point Shipyard and with Jeff Moller the bassist for YM at his house. I’d say a new record is almost written.
We will be playing a bunch of Bay Area shows and are looking forward to expanding outward at some point.
The new Young Moon album Colt is available now from Western Vinyl.
