When Bigtree Bonsai reformed in 2010, the band wasted no time carving a niche in the upper-Midwest music scene. Rather than settle into one particular genre, they forged ahead and created their own, blending the sounds of Americana, alt-country, and vintage rock into something evocatively familiar, yet completely new. Bigtree’s unique brand of “whiskey rock” features driving rhythms, powerful harmonies, and deeply rooted lyrical themes of renewal, reflection, and redemption.
The band has grown—both as musicians and as people—over many late nights, early mornings, long drives, and great stories. The experiences and revelations they’ve shared are woven into the songs that would eventually become their first full-length album, Awoken. The album was recorded over seven whirlwind days at Pearl Recording Studios in Minneapolis with producer Jake Dilley (Color Pharmacy). Bigtree Bonsai then had the pleasure of working with recording engineer Bill Moriarty (Dr. Dog, Joshua James) and mastering engineer Joe Lambert (Local Natives, The National), who added their unique talents to the project.
These final touches lifted the album to a new level entirely—and now, almost one full year later, Awoken is finally ready for the world. A welcome change from bands unable to recreate their studio sound on the live stage, Bigtree Bonsai doesn’t disappoint. With the punch and dynamics of the instruments, the clarity of the vocals, and the character of the overall sonic layers, Bigtree brings a level of musicianship to the stage that combines the studio magic captured on Awoken with the pure joy of performance and a rowdy good time.
