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Talking Tracks: Resolution by Huey & the Inflowentials

In this live episode of Talking Tracks, Dan and Huey break down the meaning behind and the making of each song on the project — a slow-burn journey through themes of growing up, finding safe spaces for yourself, and separating who you are now from who you've been in the past.

Dan Ray February 26, 2021
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Talking Tracks: Resolution by Huey & the Inflowentials February 26, 2021

Raised by a single mother in the suburbs of Detroit, Dan discovered an early passion for singing, songwriting, and the arts as a whole. She got her BA in English and music at the University of Michigan, where she reported for the school’s paper, The Michigan Daily. She worked as a Senior News Reporter on the government beat, transitioned to arts writing, and eventually became the managing editor of the social media department. She moved to Seattle in 2017. After losing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic and discouraged about the lack of press surrounding Seattle’s music scene, Dan made the decision to turn Dan’s Tunes, a fully fledged music journalism website focused on showcasing the Seattle area’s musicians, into its own startup. There’s so much music happening in the city that spawned Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Jimi Hendrix — among others — and Dan’s Tunes is determined to find and expose those outstanding acts. The goal is to have satellites in every major US city, uplifting diverse and compelling voices and helping music communities thrive. In 2020, Dan was featured in the Seattle Times’s year-end music critic poll. Other than her musical endeavors (singing, playing ukulele, and auditioning for American Idol four times before the age of 24) Ray is passionate about food and education around the American food system, and she’s also a large proponent of eliminating the stigma around mental health. Ray loves cats, especially her own, who is named Macaulay Culkin (but she’s a lady).

Frontman Bryce Villatoro-Thomas, AKA Huey, of Huey & the Inflowentials. // Photo by Collene McCarter

Every month on Talking Tracks, we interview local artists about their latest drops — song by song. It’s a little bit like a curated Spotify playlist, except way more in depth, and it’s all the people who live right in our city. In each episode, you’ll get to listen to the full album or EP right alongside the artist’s inspiration behind the tracks. Now, we’re teamed up with LiveMo and Amit Sounds to bring you special, live set editions of the podcast every second Saturday and fourth Wednesday of the month.

Seattle neo-soul septet Huey & the Inflowentials released their second EP, Resolution, on January 22, 2021. In this live episode of Talking Tracks, Dan and Huey break down the meaning behind and the making of each song on the project — a slow-burn journey through themes of growing up, finding safe spaces for yourself, and separating who you are now from who you’ve been in the past.

Listen and subscribe to the full interview below, and then click through our photo story. Download the LiveMo app on Apple and Android to stay updated on future live episodes.

Huey & the Inflowentials sound check before their performance of their latest EP, Resolution, on Talking Tracks Live.
Bryce Villatoro-Thomas fronts the band under the alias Huey.
Drummer Alex Dillard bangs out a jam session before recording.
Dan Ray kicks off recording.
Huey said they decided to start Resolution with "Church" because that title signals a safe space — and that's the vibe they wanted for the whole EP.
Kyle Amundson on the keys.
From front to back: backup vocalist Theron Lutes, bassist Caleb Bantum, keyboardist Kyle Amundson, and drummer Alex Dillard.
Trumpeter Mason Lim.
"Stay True (Live)," the second track off Resolution, is a live version of "Stay Tru," the first track off 2019's Heart.
Guitarist Earl Walko, AKA Betty, says he was the one who had the band correct the spelling of "Stay True" on Resolution because he wanted the track to be accessible to a wider audience.
The band starts up track three, "Together."
Huey's laid back flow melts over "Together," a tune about the importance of community.
Betty lays down guitar work.
A 2019 Sound Off! semifinalist, Huey is a band of youth. Lutes is in her senior year of high school.
Ray plays a game with the band: What physical CD would track three, "Independence," be on?
Dillard discusses sending the EP to multiple mastering engineers to get the sound just right.
Lim adds a mute to his trumpet.
The band heads into the final and title track, "Resolution."
Huey spits bars about freedom and acceptance.
Betty and Dillard (and the rest of the band) end the EP with a tightly synched cut off.

Photos by Collene McCarter of Ballard Vox.

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Raised by a single mother in the suburbs of Detroit, Dan discovered an early passion for singing, songwriting, and the arts as a whole. She got her BA in English and music at the University of Michigan, where she reported for the school’s paper, The Michigan Daily. She worked as a Senior News Reporter on the government beat, transitioned to arts writing, and eventually became the managing editor of the social media department. She moved to Seattle in 2017. After losing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic and discouraged about the lack of press surrounding Seattle’s music scene, Dan made the decision to turn Dan’s Tunes, a fully fledged music journalism website focused on showcasing the Seattle area’s musicians, into its own startup. There’s so much music happening in the city that spawned Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and Jimi Hendrix — among others — and Dan’s Tunes is determined to find and expose those outstanding acts. The goal is to have satellites in every major US city, uplifting diverse and compelling voices and helping music communities thrive. In 2020, Dan was featured in the Seattle Times’s year-end music critic poll. Other than her musical endeavors (singing, playing ukulele, and auditioning for American Idol four times before the age of 24) Ray is passionate about food and education around the American food system, and she’s also a large proponent of eliminating the stigma around mental health. Ray loves cats, especially her own, who is named Macaulay Culkin (but she’s a lady).