Unlocked: Download “Be the Arrow” by Birdie Busch and The Greatest Night

If you’ve spent any amount of time in the past several years talking with Birdie Busch about her music, you know she always speaks in terms of “we.” “We’re going to record some tracks with Devin in Brooklyn.” “We’re touring with Dr. Dog next month!” It’s quickly apparent that the Philly songwriter isn’t adopting the royal plural (nor the editorial, for you Lebowski fans out there), but rather she simply doesn’t see herself as the center of attention.

Despite being a solo artist, Busch has always worked with a close-knit group – the same folks she writes, records and performs with. And on her latest LP, they get a proper name – Birdie Busch and The Greatest Night. This album carries a particularly strong influence from her bandmates – bassist Todd Erk, guitarists Ross Bellenoit and Carl Cheeseman, keyboard player Craig Hendrix and drummer Thomas Bendel – and was actually recorded in a series of live jam sessions with them. All week, we’ll be exploring the record (Busch’s best since 2007’s Penny Arcade) in Unlocked, The Key’s regular spotlight on new and significant releases from Philadelphia-area artists.

Tomorrow, we’ll showcase Mike Vasilikos’ review of the album, later in the week we’ll have Kate Bracaglia’s interview with Busch. Today, we spotlight a track that might just be the songwriter’s musical and artistic mission statement, “Be The Arrow.” Thanks to the band, we’ll make it available as a free download all week, right up until their record release show on Friday, January 18, at Johnny Brenda’s.