One day, there will be a 4-LP boxed set of Bartees Strange’s debut album Live Forever. First recorded in the early months of 2019, the album has gone through many iterations, with songs added here and removed there, and the entire album being remixed and remastered more than once. The open-ended process of crafting Live Forever gave Bartees Cox the space he needed to imbue each song with its own meaning, and ultimately give 100% of his attention to every piece that went into creating the album.
Refusing to conform to any genre lines, Cox incorporates into Live Forever elements of punk, alternative, indie, hip-hop, R&B, and everything in between. It’s a record about resilience and power of the individual, with the main mission stemming from a desire to make sure that every person feels valued in life and that they are empowered to work toward their aspirations and live their fullest live.
Ahead of the new album, I chatted with Cox on Instagram Live to talk about the long road to Live Forever, his undying love for Adrianne Lenker, and the inspirational force that is Tyler The Creator, as part of our Fall Music Preview. Check out the full interview below
Live Forever is out October 2 on Memory Music. Pre-order the album here.
