Lily Sexton and Josh Ballard join me on Nine Volt Heart to discuss their latest batch of songs, “Icon”, along with the release party planned at Amherst’s Drake with High Tea on 5/9. We begin with Lily and the beginnings of Mamma’s Marmalade more than a decade ago in the dorms of UMass. We chat about those humble beginnings and the string of five albums that followed. Lily and Josh talk candidly about the new lineup, the new name of Splendid Torch, and their experience recording “Icon” with Dan Cardinal at Dimension Sound studio in Jamaica Plain.

In some ways, the recording of “Icon” created the new band with producer Karl Helander joining on drums in addition to Sexton, Ballard and Sean Davis on guitars. The duo talked about the roles of recording engineer and producer in creating a new identity for Splendid Torch. While Mitch Bordage is playing mandolin on the record, he stepped away from the band playing his last gig at Arcadia Folk Festival last summer.

The segment includes four songs; two live in-studio and two from the upcoming release. We heard a live version of “Gold” with Lily taking the lead vocals. A studio version of “You Can’t Hate Me For That” and “Icon” and a brand new song “Double Back Flip” live in-studio. We end with an older Mamma’s instrumental “Rabbit Analog”.

While we heard these tunes as a duo, the full band versions will be debuted on May 9 at Amherst’s Drake with High Tea opening the CD release party.