In the Middle pf November 2023, Joel Culpepper released his new EP ‘Happiness Is Only A Few Miles Away’ via Beyond The Groove. This five-track EP was produced by his good bud Tom Misch, and is his first new music since the release of his highly acclaimed and epic 2021 debut album ‘Sgt Culpepper‘. The creation of the new EP began while Joel was on tour with Tom last year. The two had originally become friends after Tom heard a song of Joel’s ‘Afraid To Be King’ that he loved. As they toured across continents together last year they had some studio time and ‘Free’ was the first track they recorded with legendary American soul artist Eddie Chacon (of Charles & Eddie) in L.A. Most of the EP was recorded at Tom’s home studio as well as Joel’s friend’s studio in Perry Vale and Jimmy Napes Studio in North London. It came at a time where Joel found himself open to trying out and connecting to new things, finding inspiration in perhaps unexpected places. The songs here continue to be that retro-soul sound we are used to hearing, but it feels like there’s more of an ease, more feeling being or trying to be understood. There’s a lot of promise in the delivery of these tunes, hope and the knowing that there’s some healing around the corner, wherever that corner may be.
I had the pleasure of catching up with Joel Culpepper recently to dive head first into the new EP. We talked about how the project got lifted up off the ground and how Tom decided that he should just produce the new music. We spend a little time talking about the track “Free” featuring both Tom Misch and Eddie Chancon and how it went from that nothing to something special. Listening! Working with and being with one of your pals can allow you to open up to trying new things…and that is what happened with these two. We get into where some of the unexpected places are that took him out of his ‘comfort zone’ and how allowing Mother Nature in also was a door to finding more meaning and ways to look at things. We talk about his recent time playing to the sold out headline show at London’s The Lower Third at the end of November and how the give and take of the people really took on a life of its own, seems like everyone was ready. And, well…Joel builds a setlist around one of the tracks off the new EP and this one too will surprise.
Joel by Joth Shakerley
