For an independent band like Shane Smith and the Saints, the work is never done. "It's like you can't help but feel like you've paid your dues to get to a certain spot, but once you get there, you realize you're just starting to touch the surface of the bigger picture," Smith admits. "At the end of the day, it still feels like we're getting discovered. But maybe that's what it's all about." Norther is the soundtrack to that discovery. It's the sound of a band pushing its limits, broadening its reach, and expanding its audience.
Norther is anything but monochromatic. Written and recorded during breaks in the band's touring schedule, the album captures Shane Smith and the Saints at their most colorful, offering up a hard-hitting version of American roots music that's influenced by country, folk, and roadhouse rock & roll. It's a sound that's been shaped by the road, where the Saints spent the past decade on tour, building a cult audience with each gig.
