The Fremonts - We Don't Live There (Live) (2025) Hi-Res

The Fremonts – duo Stephanie Dodd and Justin Badger – are rereleasing their album 2017 album We Don’t Live There this Friday. The album features updated fresh vocals and added instrumental parts. Folks have a variety of reasons for reissuing an album, like anniversary years or drastic re-mastering, but in this case it seems clear the reason is a renewed timeliness for the songs. With disenfranchisement at an all time high, the concepts of alienation and that “we don’t live here” resonate closely with most people.

The title track starts out sweetly with the concept that some places are off limits and out of reach for most of us. “We crawl through the sprawl and we think of out dreams and the past and the things that we hope it might mean,” and it’s eerily current.

“Back to the Mountain” is a pretty, reflective folk song about someone who left home, “she never meant to move to Memphis, it was just something that happened years ago now.” Stephanie’s vocals rise with ease and dynamism as the banjo joins in, and the energy spills out on this road trip “I’m outta here” song.

“Tillman’s Wall” forefronts the banjo and Justin takes a turn leading vocals, in a darker more sinister number which pleads: “Blind Men left footsteps and the followed, oh they followed, dark roads lead to the dead and they followed, oh they followed, Lay down your arms young men, lay down your hearts.” “Olivia” is strummed on guitar with a touch of theatrical piano and vocals by Justin that may remind fans a little of Will Wood, but the song is more subdued and hushed.

“Tell My Mother” approaches grief with a lively pace and “tell my mama I’ll be there.” “Who Fears the Devil” kicks up its heels with fiddle, guitar and touches of banjo and “Who fears the devil when the devil fears me?”

The album is eight original songs that are delivered with emphasis. The Fremonts also perform as a cabaret outfit onstage, and this album shows their ability to spotlight crossover points between cabaret and folk. It’s powerful as it tells stories on the more direct side of the coin than the cabaret flip side. And the stories are about how we live where riches are only reserved for the few and life offers actual obstacles and pitfalls, like mortality, while most of us are mere travelers and observers.

All songs on this album were written and performed by Stephanie Dodd (Fremont, NE) on vocals, piano, accordion and glockenspiel; and Justin Badger (Fremont, CA) on vocals and guitars. Guest musicians are Maggie Gibson on cello; Zak Kopeikin on bass; Matt Kubis on banjo; Cameron Mannix on drums; Braden Olsen on fiddle (tracks 1, 2, 6 and 7); Alexander Sovronsky on fiddle (track 8); Chris Tucker on organ; and members of Ars Nova Singers & Friends on Choral Vocals (tracks 3 & 7).

We Don’t Live There was produced by Chris Tucker & The Fremonts; recorded by Michael Lesko, Cameron Mannix & The Fremonts; mixed by Michael Lesko & Cameron Mannix; and mastered by Ian Stewart at Flotown Mastering. (The original album was mastered by David Glasser.) String & Choir Arrangements were by Chris Tucker, orchestration consultation was with Sean Winters, and photography and album artwork were by Emilie Druss and Matt Lowber.