Birds of Chicago Swoop into MoMM

By John Roos

It’s one thing to share with others through art the dark spaces that penetrate our lives. But it’s an entirely different matter to fill that darkness with enough light to keep our spirits from sagging. This hopeful resiliency defines the essence of J.T. Nero and Allison Russell, the husband-and-wife musical partnership known as Birds of Chicago.

This duo champion the notion that inspirational love can overpower fear and despair by carrying us through times of pain, suffering and heartache. Absorb these lyrics from the title-track of the band’s 2016 release “Real Midnight,” as the soulful Russell gently but emphatically sings, “Real midnight’s gonna come but yeah, that’s all right/We will be as the stars and put holes in the night/In 10,000 years they’ll see our love shine/When they’re lying on their backs looking up through the pines.”

Heavy but yet comforting, right?

“It’s really just the miracle alchemy of art,” said Nero during a recent phone interview. “You wade into the murkiest waters of the human experience but through the very act of doing it, of putting it out there changes the composition to something that has a buoyancy to it. It lets in some light. It’s that shadow/light thing.”

The seeds of Birds of Chicago were planted in 2011 when Nero (Chicago, IL) started writing songs primarily for Russell (Montreal, QC) while he was on the road as the opening act for her then-band, the Canadian roots act Po’ Girl. Both were accomplished singer/songwriters in their own right - Nero (aka Jeremy Lindsay) with JT and the Clouds and Russell with Po’ Girl. A friendship and undeniable chemistry blossomed between the two musicians and a cross-border band was born. The Birds of Chicago released its self-titled debut in 2012 and the couple got married a year later.

Over the subsequent years, the duo—augmented by their “collective tribe” of players featuring among others multi-instrumentalist Chris Merrill, percussionist Nick Chambers and guitarist Steve Dawson—has built a steady following by touring over 200 dates per year. Dubbed secular gospel, their unique blend of Americana, folk, rock, soul, pop and bluegrass (Russell is an amazing banjo player) reflects the pair’s diverse influences, ranging from Sam Cooke and the Staples Singers to the Band, John Prine and Van Morrison to hip-hop artist Nas and Malian musician Oumou Sangare.

Now based in Nashville, Birds of Chicago is on tour in support of its brand-new release, “Love in Wartime,” a more rock-centered collection produced by Joe Henry, the 3-time Grammy winner for his production work on recordings by Bonnie Raitt, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Filled with melody, poetic imagery and affecting vocals, “Love in Wartime” captures an organic, live-in-the-studio vibe born from the intuitive interplay between the musicians. Check out www.birdsofchicago.com/videos for a look and listen.

“The process was pretty much like recording the soundtrack to a movie that didn’t exist,” suggested Nero. “It was pre-imagined to some extent but going piece-by-piece to build the perfect architecture for a pop song never works all that well for us. Capturing moments between people in real time doesn’t lend itself to a really glossy sheen so there is some give-and-take spontaneity here.”

What could have been a reason for a major detour—or even suspension--of their full-time touring plans was the birth of the couple’s daughter, Ida Mae, in 2014. The start of their family did require some changes . . . but stopping how Nero and Russell made their living was never under consideration.

Little Ida Maeve has been on the road with her parents her whole life, and according to Russell, it’s her normal and natural rhythm now. Support when needed has come from the band’s extended family, including road manager Libby Merrill, who’s been known to babysit a time or two.

“Having our daughter has changed everything, no doubt,” said Nero. “I remember flying with her to the Netherlands and we had our asses handed to us, it was rough. But any parent feels that way at times, right? It doesn’t have to blow up the rhythm of the life you lead. We didn’t really have a choice because this is what we do . . . we’re touring musicians . . . and not the first ones with a kid.”

Nero stresses that there is no perfect script for how to be a good parent.

“We’ve been super lucky to do what we love and make a living being creative people,” he added. “We’ll need to adjust things once Ida Mae starts school but Allie and I do believe that she will be enriched by the love, happiness and art that our family and friends provide as we embrace the world together.”

*Birds of Chicago perform Thursday at Museum of Making Music (MoMM), 5790 Armada Dr., Carlsbad; (760) 438-5996. 7 p.m. $25, general seating. www.museumofmakingmusic.org.