“The music on City Folk is a window onto one part of our musical personalities and a step forward in terms of defining the sound of the band,” says Penman. “In general, we like to let the songs lead the way, and each of these tunes is like a mini world unto itself with its own ecosystem and hidden places to discover.” Redman explains the band’s commitment “not just to vehicles for improvisation but to songs that tell stories.” Parks notes, “By writing for this band, our individual writing styles begin to influence one another’s. A few songs by different composers have thematic things that tie them together almost accidentally.”