Skyway Man Shares His Next Chapter “Sometimes Darkness / Railroad Sometimes Darkness Reprise”
Oakland-based musician James Wallace has created an alternate universe for his alter ego Skyway Man. His parallel journey is told through musical narratives in the sci-fi-psych-folk opera The World Only Ends When You Die. Told in 10 chapters, the musical voyage will be released on October 23rd. Wallace has already shared its opening single “Muddy Water“, and continues to tease the ambitious album with its second chapter “Sometimes Darkness / Railroad / Sometimes Darkness Reprise”.
Combining together gospel, Americana, psychedelic, and folk, “Sometimes Darkness…” is a reworking of gospel song “I Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed on Jesus”, spun into the cosmic psychedelic rock tune “Railroad”, written over a decade ago with collaborator Andy Jenkins. It’s soulful energy is synergized with a driving funk bassline and vocal harmonies before crashing into a grand finale of southern rock guitar riffs and a crescendo of energy.
While the opening single “Muddy Water” focused on Skyway Man’s journey down the River Styx with death and accepting his fate, “Sometimes Darkness / Railroad…” continues his journey down a conflicted path with the trouble of decision making, as he sings “Sometimes its darkness in the mind / sometimes it leaves us”.
Watch the animated art track illustrated by cult comic artist Kevin Hooyman below and listen to the single on our ‘Starting Line-Up’ playlist.
