Shovels & Sweet Tea

The ever-eclectic Bombadil can best be described as “ocean mist, cat purrs and organic leeks,” according to Daniel Michalak (bass, piano, harmonica, vocals) of the Durham, N.C.-based folk-pop outfit. The original iteration of this quirky indie band met in April 2005 while they were students at Duke University. A friend suggested the name Bombadil before their “quickly approaching first show in a school cafeteria,” and they liked the sound of it. They put out several records before Michalak was diagnosed with neural tension, putting music on hold for a few years. After regrouping in North Carolina in 2013, they toured intensely for 18 months and have now released their fifth full-length album, Hold On. With a creation process inspired by “hard work and coffee” and musical influences like Maxime Le Forestier, Silvio Rodriguez and Esther Marisol, Michalak says, “Songwriting is a like a shovel—it must be used often if you are to dig the deepest holes.” And when asked if the South has inspired their sound in any way, he responds: “Yes, we try to make our recordings smoky like pork barbecue and have voices that are filled with humidity and sweet tea.” Fans can expect Michalak and James Phillips (drums/vocals) “smiling and singing onstage—I like to dance a lot and James plays two instruments at the same time.” In the coming year, he says, Bombadil looks forward to “touring, seeing new places and old faces, and two new records.”