John Ralston
Needle Bed
Label: Vagrant Records

Lake Worth, FL is not exactly a well-known singer/songwriter hotbed, but having friends in high places is working for John Ralston. Working with friend Michael Seaman, a recording engineer in Knoxville, TN, Ralston recorded Needle Bed over the course of just a few days.

Apparently the disc found its way into the hands of Jay Bennett (Wilco), who invited John up to record at the Pieholden Studios in Chicago - resulting in a second full-length, Always an Ambulance Around the Bend, which is coming out soon.

Adding to the “friends in high places” theme, Ralston was then picked up by buddy Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional) to open on their tour earlier this summer.

“Gone Gone Gone” is the radio ready single, and regardless of the muffled and overall poor recording quality, anyone who likes Dashboard will appreciate Ralston’s writing style and vocal delivery.

Ralston hits Minneapolis’ Varsity Theater on August 22, with Gary Jules and Jim Bianco.