Autumn Hollow

Autumn Hollow had been in stasis following the release of their self-titled 2013 release. The band had drifted apart, and personal struggles had killed Murphy’s desire to write new songs and lead a band. The eponymous album was a polished effort, but something broke in the process. “We tried to make a popular record, a record that a lot of people would like,” says Murphy. “That's not how that works. That's not how great music or great art is ever made.”

Then, after a few years, the songs started coming naturally again. And that led Murphy back to Autumn Hollow. “I had maybe three or four songs that I thought were good,” he says. “When you write songs, you play them by yourself and then you think, what's next? And then I wanted to play with other musicians, but I wanted to just do something that was a little bit different.”

The band has gone through a few lineup changes since its inception in 2007. It currently features Murphy (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Mike Burke (lead guitar, background vocals), Chuck Vath (bass, background vocals), James DeFilippo (piano, organ, keys), and Nick Campbell (drums).

There is a lived-in joy to the songs on Throw the House, a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to build and rebuild no matter how much everyday life tears you down. “Pick up my pills and pick up my kids and hope that one won’t react with the other,” Murphy sings on “Rooting for Laundry.” The sound is often centered around the acoustic guitar and Murphy’s earnest vocal delivery triangulated somewhere between Bruce Springsteen’s bedroom records and Fleet Foxes' rootsy rock and roll.

Murphy says he is not an autobiographical songwriter, but his hopes and struggles come across in songs like “Si Viene Si Va.” “That was the first song that I wrote when I was able to write again. Si viene si va is an Italian phrase, that means ‘comes and it goes.’ That idea was really important during that time. I just needed to have more energy and more happiness. Even if you're writing something that might seem sad or depressing or whatever, you still need those things.”

With the easing of pandemic restrictions on live music, Autumn Hollow is once again performing for live audiences. Murphy hopes to keep getting the band in front of people and playing new music for as long as possible. "The band is busier than ever and sounds incredible. I feel incredibly lucky to play with such thoughtful and talented people and musicians. We have shows all over New England, mountains of songs to record, videos to make, and so much more."