As, local alt-country and Americana band, Handsome and the Humbles venture forth with the recent release of their second album, the group has their sights set on recording their next album already.
The group consisting of guitarist Josh Hutson, bassist Tyler Huff, frontman Josh Smith, drummer Chris Bratta and guitarist Jason Chambers formed when Huff and Chambers decided to make a Ryan Adams cover band back in middle school. Once Smith reached out to Huff with some songs, the bassist knew that they could come together to make original music.
“We were sitting around, throwing a bunch of stupid, vulgar [band] names off the wall and I made some joke about how handsome and humble I am and we decided that was our name,” Smith said.
“It’s kind of ridiculous, but in a way it accurately captures us,” Huff said. “We aren’t too serious about us, we just like to have fun. Plus people remember us, [the name] sticks.”
The band’s newest album titled “We’re All The Same” dropped Sept. 7 and draws from stories vocalist Smith has heard from his day job as a physical therapist. Smith said that the album is an attempt to help people realize that they aren’t so different, even in these divisive sociopolitical times.
“I talk to 80-year-old people all day long, they have really good stories,” Smith said. “A lot of the things I write about come from conversations I’ve had or from experiences I’ve had. The title track came from a time when I went to a bar and felt like I wasn’t cool enough to be there.”
While “We’re All The Same” just released, many of the songs have been in the band’s vault for years. The group has written many songs through the years, but the collection of older songs chosen for the album seemed perfect in conjunction with their new tracks for use in their new album.
“It’s a weird thing, releasing a new record,” guitarist Hutson said. “We’ve lived with these songs for so long now and we’re kind of to the point where we want to do something different, but now everyone is hearing [these songs] for the first time.”
The group plans to start recording for their next album within the next few months. In addition to working on new music, the group hopes to play more local live shows and will play at the International Fried Chicken Festival in Kentucky. Later this year in October, Huff will venture out on a solo tour through Texas with local artist Brian Paddock to support the Humbles’ new record.
The group often collaborates with other local artists including Mic Harrison and Andrew Leahey, but the group has also gotten help from members of The V-Roys and Hotshot Freight Train.
“Knoxville is a really supportive music scene,” Smith said. “Of course you want to do the best and be the best at what you are doing, but here you don’t feel like you are just competing with people. Making the music is fun, but one of the best things about what we do is the people we’ve come across.”
Handsome and the Humbles test the sound before their Blue Plate Special Performance on Friday, Sept. 7, 2018.
