Written over a two-year period during a break from touring, Out of the Garden’s emphasis on re-defining feminine expectations was shaped by primary songwriter Jess Abbott’s experiences living in Minneapolis and working at a liquor store in a rough part of town. “I learned how to speak up when I needed to and how to truly be myself without reservation,” Abbott recalls. “I felt afraid walking home at night, and after a couple of months I just got sick of it and started getting into self-defense and self-empowerment as a means of coping. Finding my own strength changed everything.”
After writing and tracking every song in her apartment, Abbott enlisted Kevin Medina and Terrence Vitali to add drums and bass to her demos. The band then traveled to LA to record with That Dog’s Anna Waronker and Off!/Redd Kross member Steven McDonald. As a result, Out of the Garden showcases Tancred shedding its former skin in favor of a bolder and infinitely more confident sound. Says Abbott, “Out of the Garden represents doing what you want, what you need, without letting anything or anyone stop you – and smiling while you do it.”
