Ross Thorn
FOLK-AMERICANA SINGER-SONGWRITER ROSS THORN RELEASES CHARMING, HOMESPUN SECOND STUDIO ALBUM, FITTING IN
Fitting In, to be released August 8, finds Thorn exploring inclusion and empathy
DULUTH, MINNESOTA – Sometimes it seems like homespun music is a relic from a far away past. We’re talking about the kind of songs that sound like they are playing steps away on your front porch. While the technical advancements of music making are certainly a marvel, there comes a time when we need a clean wipe that takes us back to the basics.
Enter Duluth, Minnesota based, folk-Americana singer-songwriter Ross Thorn and his charming, refreshing second album, Fitting In, which is set for release August 8. Across 10 songs, Thorn makes us long for simplicity just as he sings about inclusion and empathy. The title of the album is indeed indicative of its lyrical theme.
“The lyrical theme throughout the songs is exemplified in the title track ‘Fitting In,’ about attempting and failing to fit in,” says Thorn. “The entire project is an utter rejection of the notion of fitting in, even with the simple inclusion of a song like ‘I Lost My Voice and My Accordion, But I Still Know How to Polka.’ The album reflects how I think the world can be, so whether you’re a polka song, a Western swing song about the internet, or an indie folk lamentation, there’s room for you.”
Fitting In, produced by Thorn and Clark Singleton, benefits from beautiful musicianship and crystal-clear production. You can literally hear each instrument. For that, we can thank Thorn himself, who played acoustic guitar and banjo in addition to handling all lead vocals. Fitting In also features these fine players:
· Clark Singleton: bass & aux percussion
· Cassandra Sotos: violin, mandolin, and vocals
· Jacob Mahon: electric and acoustic guitars, banjo, and vocals
· Ian Hopp: drums
· Kyle Orla: acoustic guitar and vocals
· Garrett Thorn and Laura Seller: vocals
· Kate Ruland & Emma O’Shea (The Spine Stealers): vocals
Recorded in November 2024 with additional recording January-March 2025, Fitting In was created at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota as well as a home studio in Duluth owned by Thorn’s buddy Clif Nesseth. The album was engineered by Nick Tveitbakk at Pachyderm Studios and Nesseth at his home studio. It was mixed by Singleton and Thorn.
Fitting In is chock-full of gems, but let’s focus on these four standouts that exemplify Thorn’s organic weaving of music and lyrics.
· "Baby, That's All I Need" – The album’s first single (out July 11) opens with a bird-like whistle and glides over the purity of acoustic instrumentation. Thorn says the song is about “radical empathy, seeing yourself in everything, seeing the divine in everything, and seeing the divine in yourself.”
· "Internet Blues" – A quiet lament, if you will, about the technical highway of a world we live in. In tongue-in-cheek Western swing style, complete with yodel, Thorn tackles the reality of being technologically inclined and then “really growing tired of it and slowly divesting from it.”
· "A Midwestern Goodbye" – Mournful and lovely, Thorn contemplates the cultural tradition of a farewell that “turns into an hour-long liminal hangout near the front door as you're leaving.” We can hear Thorn’s longing for connection and his humor about the colloquial ritual.
· "Fitting In" – The contemplative title track and second single (out July 25) comes from Thorn’s own struggles dealing with his height (6 feet, 8 inches) and the constant conversations about his stature. So, the song is a thematic and metaphoric look at people on the fringe that don’t fit into conventional, societal spaces.
The genesis of Fitting In traces back to Thorn’s upbringing in northern Wisconsin surrounded by music. He comes from a musical family, his grandparents owned a karaoke bar, and Thorn sang in numerous church choirs. He began writing songs in high school, and then did more of it in college. He got serious about performing and pursuing an original music career when he moved to Duluth in 2018. Thorn released his debut album, Hugo, an exploration of mortality, loss, and identity, in 2023. He embarked on his first tour, a small Midwest jaunt, in 2024.
He plans on getting back on the road to coincide with the release of Fitting In. He has a set of Western US tour dates booked with co-headliners The Spine Stealers. The album release concert will be August 6 at Bent Paddle Brewing in Duluth.
“I hope this project catches the attention of anyone and everyone with an ear and heart for songwriting,” says Thorn of Fitting In. “I also hope that all my music connects people and creates a stronger sense of belonging, empathy, and inspiration in our country. That’s kind of Miss America talk, but this is one of my favorite avenues for self-expression and inspiration and I’ve seen what it can do, so I hope to be a small part of making this world a bit better with this album.”