After an introspective period of remote recording sessions that birthed Broken English in 2020, Eddie Berman, the beloved Portland folk-rock craftsman, has emerged with a fresh and invigorating album — Signal Fire, due Jan. 19 via Nettwerk. Berman’s journey, from the comfort of home recording to a poignant reunion with his band, with whom he hadn’t collaborated in person for over two years, underscores the album’s narrative of rebirth, connection, and the deep roots of family.
The immediate magic of playing live with his bandmates once more became an epiphany for Berman. “Right away it was just a feeling of, ‘What the hell was I thinking?’, he reminisces. With Signal Fire, Berman captures the vitality, the “aliveness,” that can only be sparked in real-time collaboration, a sentiment that seems to be the heart and soul of the album.
To celebrate today’s announcement, Berman has released the album’s latest single Rolling Over Me, a blissed-out tune that feels like a bolt of sunshine fighting through the clouds of a rainstorm. “Rolling Over Me feels like the thesis for this new album,” he candidly reflects. “It’s about coming back to my senses and seeing what’s most vital and beautiful in my life: In this case, the love and the passion I have for my wife who I’ve been with for 15 years now, since our early 20s.” The official video for the track finds Berman performing the song on the Pacific coast.
Journeying through Signal Fire, listeners will find themselves enveloped in a musical landscape that intertwines the gentle grace of Nick Drake’s Pink Moon with the poignant intensity of Bob Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks. The album showcases Eddie’s growth and artistic maturity. Recorded at the 64 Sound Recording Studio in Los Angeles amidst a rare rainstorm, Signal Fire was forged in a brief, intense three-day window, a choice that allowed Berman and his band — Gabe Feenberg, Gabe Davis and Chris Wabich — to dive into the raw immediacy of their art without overthinking. This decision paid off, as each track glistens with authenticity and emotional depth.
Signal Fire is not just an album; it’s a journey through Berman’s soul. Through tracks dedicated to his daughters, such as First of Spring (Keira’s Song), listeners are given a window into Berman’s profound love and the complex emotions of parenthood. The album’s title itself, appearing in the acoustic-led romantic ballad Mare Imbrium, named after one of the moon’s largest craters, conveys dual messages: The welcoming warmth of a beacon and the cautionary flames of a warning.
With Signal Fire, Berman once again solidifies his place in the pantheon of modern folk-rock luminaries. Watch the video for Rolling Over Me above, hear more from Eddie Berman below, and signal him on his website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Signal Fire Track List
1 | Rolling Over Me
2 | Go From Here
3 | Mare Imbrium
4 | Mine All Mine
5 | Back To You
6 | Looking In
7 | Heartbroken
8 | First Of Spring (Keira’s Song)
9 | Anymore
10 | Fevered Skin
11 | Awakening
12 | Heavenly Sign
13 | Strange Place
