Peter Mulvey & SistaStrings

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JT Nero

SistaStrings with Peter Mulvey (center).

Milwaukee singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey and SistaStrings — violinist Chauntee Ross and cellist Monique Ross — have been musical collaborators since 2016, along with drummer Nathan Kilen. The quartet's plans to record both live and studio albums were put on hold due to the pandemic and SistaStrings’ move to Nashville (the Ross sisters have been collaborating and touring with Allison Russell and Brandi Carlile in 2022). But August brought the release of Love is the Only Thing, following up on the 2020 Live at the Cafe Carpe, and they are playing a handful of Midwest shows to celebrate. The album features new songs by Mulvey and co-writers such as John Sieger and Paul Cebar, plus a few well-chosen covers, reflecting on the last couple years with Mulvey's characteristic compassion and empathy.

media release: To make a good protest record, kindness and passion must remain in the foreground—at least, that’s the recipe Peter Mulvey and SistaStrings (cellist-vocalist Monique Ross and violinist-vocalist Chauntee Ross) used when crafting their new album Love Is the Only Thing–out now on Righteous Babe Records. The group, along with drummer Nathan Kilen, used the bright light of family to illuminate their new project and all that went into making it. Love Is the Only Thing’s existence hinges on the way humans take care of each other, from its fan-supported funding, to the sanctuary of their beloved Café Carpe in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, to the blood sisterhood of the Rosses, to Mulvey’s newfound fatherhood. “This album is basically a happy family song, then a song about how f*cked up things are, then a family song, then a song about how f*cked up things are,” Mulvey laughs.

The end result is an album of twelve songs equally capable of making listeners love stronger and fight harder. Fans can stream or purchase Love Is the Only Thing now right here. For even more Peter Mulvey & SistaStrings, check out their Live at the Café Carpe album at this link. 

You can catch the trio live this October for their Midwest run in Minneapolis, Madison and Milwaukee. Additionally, Mulvey has a number of solo dates coming up and SistaStrings are on the road all summer playing as part of Allison Russell’s and Brandi Carlile’s bands, including Carlile’s show at Madison Square Garden in October. The Rosses also performed with both artists at the 2022 Grammy Awards.

Love Is the Only Thing In The News:

In their review of Love Is the Only Thing, No Depression wrote, “Through their collaboration, Mulvey and SistaStrings explore the idea that love and compassion are at the root of all these situations and their solutions. In their expression of that, they’ve created a heartfelt, moving listening experience.”

Glide Magazine premiered “Shenandoah,” noting, “Mulvey’s rugged yet calming vocals combine with warm acoustic guitar and rich strings to create a mood that is intimate and reflective. The group gradually builds layers of energy and texture to give the song a sense of swelling power, ultimately making for a stirring take on this traditional folk song."

Under The Radar premiered “Love Is the Only Thing,” calling it, "a dose of unbridled musical ecstasy,” before adding, “The full studio record is arriving at long last this month and it finds Mulvey and SistaStrings crafting a heart-warming marriage of protest songs and paeans to steadfast love. The record’s core lies in the ways we band together through times of strife, whether via community, family, or friendship.”

Americana Highways premiered, “Old Men Drinking Seagram’s,” noting, “This is one for this summer, right here, right now.”

DittyTV wrote, “Peter Mulvey & SistaStrings is a Milwaukee music mashup you need to know.”

More About Love Is the Only Thing: The bright light of family illuminates Love Is the Only Thing and all that went into making it. Its existence hinges on the way we take care of each other, from its fan-supported funding to the sanctuary of Café Carpe to the blood sisterhood of the Rosses to Mulvey’s newfound fatherhood. “This album is basically a happy family song, then a song about how f*cked up things are, then a family song, then a song about how f*cked up things are,” Mulvey laughs. And making Love Is the Only Thing at such a tumultuous time in history reinforced Mulvey’s and SistaStrings’ role as activists just as much as musicians. “Finding refuge and rejuvenation in these songs with this group of musicians was healing and personally some sort of mission statement for why we even make music in the first place,” Chauntee remembers. 

Love Is the Only Thing explores loss, tension, and the love that sees us through it. Folk classic “Shenandoah” longs for a kinder America, while “Old Men Drinking Seagram’s” is a snapshot of a small town full of hate. “Soft Animal” offers tender sensuality, while “On the Eve of the Inaugural” finds the narrator turning his care to a baby in a stranger’s car. “Song for Michael Brown” is a humble plea for compassion for Brown and for all of us living with the threat of violence and hate. Some songs are more focused on the loneliness of the pandemic and its flipside of love and togetherness. The newly-released “You and (Everyone Else)” addresses the pandemic loneliness and fear for others' safety, while “Five Hundred Days” promises a happy reunion. That promise is fulfilled on “Early Summer of ‘21,” a catchy song about a day when it’s safe to hug everybody, wait in line for tacos, and feel free again.

The record finishes with the title track, a Chuck Prophet cover. With jangly acoustic guitar, rousing drumming, bold strings, and an anthemic chorus, this is the sound of musicians having fun together. It’s also a reminder that it’s not easy to make a better world, but ultimately that work reveals our humanity. “Love is a hurting thing/ Oh, but love is the only thing anymore," Mulvey and SistaStrings belt out in the refrain. It’s then abundantly clear that the love songs and the protest songs have been about the same thing all along.