The transitional temperament of Spring sees an abbreviated collection of works by Minneapolis-based songwriter Peter Miller and his outfit We Are The Willows - the second release of a trio of EPs titled Deep Breaths. These pieces express a new dimension to Miller’s work, deviating from the celestial, avant-pop stylings of his previous output and instead standing solely on the shoulders of deeply lyrical, water colored classical motifs. Actualized on the piano in the liminal moments of a cold mid-western morning and later embellished by cello and clarinet, Deep Breaths finds meaning in emotive improvisation and the warmth of an unspoken understanding between collaborators.
We Are The Willows has been active since 2009 and features a cast of Twin City collaborators including Jeremiah Satterthwaite on guitar, Travis Collins on bass and backup vocals, Hilary James on cello and backup vocals, and Josh McCay on drums. The group is most widely recognized for their 2016 two part, twenty song concept album Picture (Portrait) (based on letters written between Miller’s grandparents during World War II). The album garnered praise from NPR, BBC, Noisey, Paste Magazine, Buzzfeed, and Brooklyn Vegan. Most recently they’ve joined the roster of NYC-based imprint Youngbloods in collaboration on a three-part EP project and full-length album, first introduced through their 2022 EP release Now That I’m Older.
Deep Breaths was practically conceived as a serendipitous accident; a humble byproduct naturally developed in the embers of a separate project. Miller had finished filming himself performing a cover of “Acrobat” by Angel Olsen over the course of two days - both as a creative exercise and as a means to meet fans somewhere he thought they would appreciate. He wanted to make something listeners would like. As he started to disassemble his camera setup he paused, and without much thought, began recording himself at the piano. The weightlessness of navigating around the keys with the absence of motive felt reassuring. The recordings felt earnest and veracious. Miller’s freeform performance took shape after sharing his work with We Are The Willows cellist Hilary James and local producer and multi-instrumentalist Adelyn Strei, who contributed their talents on cello and clarinet to provide dimension and definition to his musings. In Miller’s words:
“I am not a piano player, but it brought me a lot of joy to sit there in the cold morning light… I felt owed nothing by these chords. I delighted in them. I lived in that piano for a couple minutes at a time. Hilary and I have been collaborating for over a decade… and when you play with Hilary and Adelyn, they add dexterity, vitality, and voice to everything they touch. Playing in a band together for that long can make you the kind of friends that don’t require things to be put into words. But it makes you want to ferociously be there if the other person needs help sounding it out. It’s family.”
