“Earth, Love, and Roses” (“ELR”) is Storytell’s full-length second release, coming on the heels of fall 2023’s EP “Sea of Soul.” The title is taken from lyrics in the bridge of the song “The Bowl,” which is the 7th track on the 10-song album. The album includes the singles “Cool Winds,” “Terra,” “Gekko Blues,” and “Bubblehead,” which have been released throughout early 2024.

Whereas “Sea of Soul” embodied the fire element, “Earth, Love, and Roses” encompasses all the elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether). The Sanskrit representations of these elements appear as Easter eggs on the covers of all four ELR singles and the LP. The album takes listeners on a whirlwind journey, from the acoustic-driven “Cool Winds” and “A Storytell,” through swamps, fog-filled parks, and mountains in “Gekko Blues,” “Hazy Daze,” and “Terra,” reaching the dark apex of the ethereal middle section of “Sea of Souls,” and ending up in a smoke-filled jazz club with the 8+-minute blues/jazz-tinged improv performance art piece “Little Gods,” which features Joel Gion as a part-supporting/part-heckling member of a faux audience, as well as David Bryce providing the smoky sax.

Here are liner notes describing the environment in which “Earth, Love, and Roses” was forged, courtesy of Steven Dodds:

Recorded at the House of Shmarm, which was conveniently located at 691 Minna St. in a dank alley next to a spank house and a lost covered old lady whose dusty old bones you have to step over to enter. A little sprite with blue jean wings rides a tiny tricycle followed by a white guy wearing white rags who only eats white food. The velvet cat upstairs has been awake for three days (dig it baby). Oh yeah, then there’s the Colonel-well, we won’t go into that….

“Earth, Love, and Roses” is now out on all streaming platforms and college radio nationwide.