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Patrick Ames Considers the COVID World with “Second Wave”

By Kath Galasso on November 23, 2020

When we last heard from Patrick Ames he was seeing life through the view of a vineyard in the Napa Valley. He’s still in Napa, though his world view, along with the rest of us, has been altered by a global pandemic.

His last EP, Liveness, came out just as COVID-19 was reaching pandemic proportions. On Liveness, Ames used his voice in social commentary to tackle subjects such as gun violence and our obsession with technology. Since that release the world has become a very different place, with rumors, lies and misinformation crowding out reality and science. Ames has just released “Second Wave,” where his lyrics point out the reason why this virus cannot be tamed.

“Second Wave is simple: it’s the lies and rumors that are causing the virus to spread. It’s the angry people who are spreading it with their rumors. Don’t succumb. The lyrics are straightforward. Who do you believe? What do you trust? This is a new normal where rumors actually kill. Don’t listen, don’t succumb to rumors about the virus out there.“

Produced by Jon Ireson, who also produced Liveness, the track is sparse with a blues feel. Ames’ vocals are plain and to the point, just about on the edge of gravel. It has a funky bass line which gives the song a certain uneasiness that reflects what we are all feeling.

https://soundcloud.com/patrickames/second-wave

Patrick Ames is a man of many passions, music, lyrics, social commentary, nature, spirituality, and yes, wine. Speaking on his view from the vineyard Ames said, “Lots of people love wine and the world of wine (tasting, collecting, etc.) but few people get to live in the vineyard. I live in one, and it is hauntingly beautiful. It’s not like a cornfield…the vineyards are pampered and coaxed to produce, and the way they are watered, pruned, and picked is special. The land can be remotely wild, filled with animals and critters, and it can be very rural living there. The music that I write, and play, is not so much Americana as it is what I call Wine Country music: it’s a mix of heady folk, basic rock, classic Motown, and choral music with an artistic and intellectual bent. Best heard with a glass of wine.”

It just might be time to pop the cork.