Two Dark Birds

A master class in American song at last night. I owe both these gentlemen an immense debt, very specifically my old compadre who 25 yrs ago heard something in my songs, put out a couple of my early records on his excellent Pitch A Tent label and invited us to open tours for both Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven. Learned a lot back then from watching and listening. And more broadly to whose song with X and The Knitters were the fabric of my teen years. Both are purveyors of a deeply rooted American music that is not afraid to be literate or art forward at times. In short, my people, my mentors.

Prof Lowery played a moving set of mostly tunes from his new album (Fathers Sons and Brothers) that serve as a memoir of sorts. Deeply open and deeply naked narratives about the joys of childhood and the scars of fu***ng things up as an adult. “Mexican Chickens” is one of the better songs of regret I’ve ever heard, and “Giving Tree Father” will tear you.

Mr. Doe played a wide ranging set from his killer catalog. When he opened with “The New World”, a song I hadn’t heard in 30 years, I knew every word, every inflection. How many dozens of times had I listened to it back in day, back on the rec room stereo in Wisco? Thoroughly etched. When he rocked (on some old X and Knitters songs) his big right hand was like like John Henry’s hammer, but a couple of cover ballads opened his voice in ways I had not been aware of, particularly on the greatest drinking song of all time (Here Comes A Regular), and on the show stopper Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

This was supposed to be a tribute and not a review hahaha but there you have it. In conclusion: Dudes still very much have it!

I sat down a few weeks ago with Brett Barry for his fantastic podcast to talk about our new album, the Two Dark Birds backstory, and the Catskills vibe. Played a couple songs live in the studio.

Listen here > https://tinyurl.com/4tuhwv47 (link in bio)

From the Kaatscast website: Singer‑songwriter Steve Koester, the creative force behind Two Dark Birds, joins Brett in the Kaatscast studio for a deep, generous conversation about songwriting, place, and the long arc of making music in the Catskills. With the band’s fifth studio album, Dreamers of the Golden Dream, Vol. 1, arriving February 27, Steve reflects on the evolution of his sound—from full‑band records to quiet, introspective work and back again—and how living in the mountains continues to shape his writing.

Steve shares the origin story of Two Dark Birds, the move from New York City to the Catskills, the band’s shifting lineup, and the role of analog recording in a digital world. He talks about the emotional terrain behind songs like “Born to Fall,” “Good Boy Good,” and “Kid, I’m Fried,” and performs several tracks live in the studio.

The conversation also explores the realities of releasing music in 2026, the joys and limits of streaming platforms, the resurgence of vinyl, and the creation of Steve’s independent label, Vfib Records.

Thanks Mystic Sons for the review!

Two Dark Birds - 'Dreamers of the Golden Dream (Vol. 1)' 7/10 There’s something electrifying about a band capturing lightning in the room, and on 'Dreamers of the Golden Dream (Vol. 1)', Two Dark Birds bottle that voltage without sanding off its edges. Tracked in the wooded quiet near Woodstock, this fifth full-length from the Catskills collective feels...