Ross Thorn

Tries Fitting In

Independent

Ross Thorn was brought up in northern Wisconsin surrounded by music. His grandparents owned a karaoke bar, and Thorn sang in numerous church choirs. He began writing songs in high school, and continued writing while in college. He got serious about performing and pursuing an original music career when he moved to  Duluth in 2018. Thorn released his debut album “Hugo”, an exploration of mortality, loss and identity, in 2023. Thorn embarked on his first Midwestern tour in 2024.

Americana singer-songwriter Thorn is set to release this charming, refreshing second album, “Tries Fitting In”, on August 8th as he sings about inclusion and empathy. The ensemble includes Thorn, acoustic guitar, banjo,  and all lead vocals; Jacob Mahon, electric guitar, banjo, and vocals; Kyle Orla, acoustic guitar and vocals;  Cassandra Sotos, violin, mandolin, and vocals; Clark Singleton, bass and percussion; and Ian Hopp, drums.  Additional vocalists include Garrett Thorn and Laura Sellers; and backing vocalists ‘The Spine Stealers’ Kate Ruland, and Emma O’ Shea.

The album opens with “Baby That’s All I Need”, with acoustic guitar from Orla, as Ross chirps “I’m a bird in  the tree, baby that’s all I need, baby we’re all the same, just different faces, different needs, different graces… I’m a worm in the grass…we’re all the same, baby that’s all I need”. “First Class Clown Wagon” is an  instrumental, with Ross on banjo, and some great violin from Sotos.

“I Lost My Voice And My Accordion But I Still Know How To Polka” features some more banjo from Ross as he sings “I left the station at a quarter after four…well they say, hey, hey, hey…I lost my voice and my  accordion too, but I still know how to polka”. On “Pick -A-Dee-Day”, Ross chimes “I tripped down to the valley, pick-a-dee-da, pick-a-dee-day, that’s what they used to say, we’ll my old neighbor she’s a widow, pick-a-dee-da, pick-a-dee-day”.

“Internet Blues” is a Western swing lament about our technical highway, as Ross bursts out “whatever you wan’t, whenever you want it…it makes you forget about the life you been living…that’s the no good lowdown Internet blues” as Ross yodel’s. “A Midwestern Goodbye” features more banjo from Ross, as  his chant later changes into a narrative, a farewell near the front door, “goodbye forever, nothin’s forever in this world we’re living, goodbye farewell, so long, if you see me at the bar, I’ll be drinkin’, goodbye farewell, so long”.

“Far Away” featuring the backing vocalists, the Spine Stealers providing harmony, as Ross howls “far away, far away…far away from you, far away, far away, some place far across the sea”. “Mariner’s  Lament”, with more of Ross’s banjo “who hoo, father where do you go to pray, who hoo, mother where do you go to pray…who hoo, widow where do you go to pray”.

“What’s Up With You” features Mahon on banjo, and Sotos on violin, as Thorn whines “same old coffee grinds in the morning, it’s another day in paradise, what’s up with you, same old misunderstanding, it’s another day in paradise, that ain’t nothin’ new, what’s up with you”. On the closer, the title track, Thorn deals with his height, 6ft. 8in, as he croons “I see your face but you can’t see mine, hurts bad this time… all I see is I might not drown…in a world filled with angels, I just have a problem fitting in”, with more  acoustic guitar.

Says Thorn “I hope this project catches the attention of anyone and everyone with an ear and heart for songwriting, I hope my music connects people and creates a strong sense of belonging, empathy, and inspiration…I hope “Tries Fitting In” in a small way makes this world a better place to be”.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

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