This year marks the 10-year anniversary of our music minister, Sean’s, first Workman Song (his label name) release, Lamb. He is celebrating the anniversary with a special album, The Lamb and the Wolf.
In his own words:
As I prepared to give Lamb to the world in 2014, I was two years into my Brooklyn journey. My bittersweet early-mid twenties. I’d toured all over North America and Europe with Bird Courage and Streets of Laredo. Dave Gibson from Streets, now a top tier music manager himself, sat me down at Lil’ Skips Cafe in Bushwick with a pen and notebook and walked me through how indie musicians release and promote music in the 2010’s. I was green and, being more interested in theology than the music business, had no idea what he was talking about, but still managed to follow his instructions to the T! And so Lamb landed in people’s Spotify algorithm and all that.
The songs from Lamb were written in Western Massachusetts and Brooklyn, my homes. It was not the happiest time in my life — but it was very hopeful. My friend, songwriter Tim Dobel, just heard these songs for the first time recently: “Damn you’re an intense dude.” Lol. Maybe back then. It was a time of spiritual searching. I was a kid who wanted to become a Franciscan monk on the one hand, and Father John Misty the rock and roll trickster on the other. I was this close to joining a religious order in late 2011 when I 180’d at the advice of my mentor Father Michael Sitaras, a gifted artist, and followed in his footsteps as a twenty-something — I headed to the center of the universe, New York City, to give it the proverbial shot and make it. If nothing else, it would be something like rumspringa for a would-be monk. It turned out to be both and neither.
Lamb marked the day I struck out on my own and, it turns out, 10 years later I’m not quite Father John Misty, nor am I a monk — but somehow the music led me to who and where I am today: a truly grateful thirty-something husband, father, and minister, and I am somehow by the grace of God raising my family on music. “Halfway to Gandalf the Grey,” I like to say. I couldn’t have done it without all of your support — so from the bottom of my heart, thank you!
The Lamb & the Wolfis the whole of the Lamb recording sessions, inclusive of the Lamb EP, her sister EP Wolf, and two unreleased bonus tracks that, don’t ask me why, were left off of both. These two songs, Williamsburg Bridge and The Ballad of Mighty Jim and His Mother are probably two of the best songs I’ve ever written. These were the ones that connected most when I was playing those lonely stages and subway platforms in New York City. The ones that made people cry and that were a bit difficult for me to perform. I hope they connect with you…
For a limited time, The Lamb & The Wolf will be available on Bandcamp (and only on Bandcamp) on a pay-what-you-will basis. Today is Bandcamp Friday, by the way, so Bandcamp is generously waiving their share of revenue. Your support means the world to me and my family, and helps me continue this hodgepodge of music and ministry that I call my calling. Again, thank you and thank you again.
God bless,
Sean