Josh Gilligan’s ‘Party Of One’ debut album out January 24th

Josh Gilligan is a musician, songwriter, and filmmaker known for his captivating sound and tender lyrics. Party of One, his first with indie label Easy Does It Records, marks a new step in his musical journey, following the success of his 2021 EP, Go Around.

In recent years, Josh has honed his craft while working in various capacities with artists like Halfnoise, Madi Diaz, Elke, and Medium Build.

Party of One collects the wisdom Gilligan gleaned from a long period of deep sadness, self-doubt, and confusion, with songs about separation, internal conflicts, and creative disappointments–all of which added up to a pervasive melancholy in his late 20s and early 30s. “There are themes of depression and inertia, but it’s about coming to know myself enough to understand that this sadness is not the end,” shares Gilligan. “It’s about what you do with that sadness and how you make your days meaningful. It’s not a downer record, but it has a certain gravity.”

Gilligan spent nearly a decade gigging around Nashville, balancing other jobs adjacent to the music industry with his own musical pursuits. “I wasn’t expecting to feel so hollowed out after my twenties, and I was wondering if I still wanted to make music, but I felt like I owed it to myself to give it another try, even though in the back of my mind I’m thinking, What can I add to the conversation? Why would anyone want to listen to what I have to say?”

When Gilligan had a creative breakthrough and moved into a friend’s home studio, he got working on the record, living in the loft and popping down to record whenever an idea presented itself. Sonically, the album is inspired by the 70s pop and soft rock of his childhood. “My mom inadvertently crafted the palette of ‘Party of One.’”