A new road for the Womacks

What: The Womack Family Band & Chris Castle’s The Drenched Earth Tour and Release Party
When: 8 p.m. September 15
Where: The Winchester, 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood
Cost: $10
Info: womackband.com

Buyer, beware: the record debut from The Womack Family Band is not your average listening experience, and their talent isn’t second string. For those who love the distinctive Womack touches of their traditional cover sets, like big instruments and gorgeous harmonies, you won’t be disappointed. But don’t think for a second that the album’s sound is ripped directly from their cover list.

With a distinctive lineup including Tony Schaffer, Hayley Heyman, Noah Heyman, Cory Webb and Jake Millhouse, it’s no surprise that this five-piece felt the need to create something original.

“We wanted to make our own music,” said Schaffer. “We wanted that sense of pride that comes with playing your own.” While the album undoubtedly has its feet planted in roots, folk and Americana music, the classification shouldn’t lead you to pigeonhole them. The whispers of influence that you hear span centuries, including rock, blues and even classical music.

Perhaps one of the most striking features about the finished project is its unified sound — the record should be listened to from start to finish. “It should wash over the listener,” said Hayley.

“When you think of a classical piece, it’s essentially a record of time, a record of events, a linear event,” said Schaffer. “Every moment of it counts. A symphony is a collection of pieces, almost like an album. Those pieces can be seen as individual songs. There are all of these different parts, but in the end, it’s still one thing.”

This idea of collectiveness is a belief firmly held by all the Womacks, but that doesn’t mean that every song will sound the same. You’ll hear a range of hushed, lullaby-like sounds to a raucous, heel-kicking, energy driven folk reminiscent of The Avett Brothers.

Then there’s the deeply moving “Sysiphus’ Stone,” beginning with a haunting solo voice, gothic lyrics and stripped-to-the-bone chords that soar into some of the most powerful harmonic arrangements on the album.

“There was a creative desire there,” said Noah. “We didn’t just want to release a record. We wanted to release something that mattered.”

The band started recording at the end of last summer. With winter coming, Schaffer said, they knew they’d be able to lock themselves away and focus on it. It took about a year, and they started with close to 20 songs, eventually narrowing it down to 12.

They put together their home studio with mostly secondhand equipment that they purchased using the “band fund” they earned playing cover gigs.

While the Womacks are self-schooled in many respects, they’ve certainly benefited from mentor Chris Castle’s years of DIY expertise. “There’s no magic to it,” Castle said, just lots of hard work. “Everyone wants to start by making the best record. These guys were sensible enough to know that they needed to work with what they have.”

But most bands aren’t aware of the necessary avenues and lack the knowledge to do it.

“People don’t know how much goes into it — the website, booking, business and landing with rows of HTML coding,” he said with a laugh. “But because the business has changed so much, you can do it.”

Thanks to technology, the Womacks have found that they can do the majority of the work from home. They researched potential touring regions online, used e-mail and phone calls to network and check into venues, worked with talented friends who do video and high-resolution photography and created their own album artwork. “All of these things show that we take it seriously,” said Noah.

And despite being a group of self-described recluses who spent nearly a year holed up in a house recording their album, it sounds like technology has been good to them. They were spotlighted on FolkAlley.com as “Artist of the Month,” have an upcoming TV appearance on “Good Company Today” (NBC) and have snagged radio spots throughout New England. Oh, and did we mention the huge, awesome tour they’re about to launch?

The Drenched Earth Tour, a joint project with Castle, kicks off at 8 p.m. September 15 at The Winchester in Lakewood. But the term “tour” might be a bit lighthearted for this massive undertaking, which plays out as a musical theatre production that runs nearly two hours.

The idea came from Bob Dylan and The Band’s “Before the Flood” tour in 1974, which Castle described as the idea of a songwriter working with a band toward a common goal. “It was almost a prophecy, and so we started thinking about this flood of noise,” he said. “We’ve been flooded for 30 to 40 years. That’s where the name came from — we wanted to talk about the state of things.”

“It’s pretty socially oriented,” said Castle, mentioning that the driving idea of folk music is to provide a commentary on the current times. “At the beginning of each show, we’ll be handing out a program that explains these concepts.”

In terms of how the lengthy “music theatre” production works, both Castle and the Womacks agreed that it didn’t make sense for one to open for the other. So they merged the two, creating what will be a three-act show. The opening act features Castle with his acoustic guitar. One by one, each Womack band member will join him, representing parts of a larger whole. “You start with one piece of dry earth, and end up with a little society (on the stage),” Castle said.

The second act features the Womacks, as they play their entire album from start to finish — with no break. The final act features Castle’s new music, which will be performed for the first time with a full band. The result? A nearly seamless two hours of music.

The tour, sponsored by Paige Capo, will hit several states in September and October, including Ohio, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee and Maine.

They’ve organized it so that they spend two weeks on the road and return home for two weeks, alternating between the Drenched Earth Tour and their more familiar cover gigs.

If you want to support The Womack Family Band, Chris Castle and The Drenched Earth Tour, be sure to attend the launch show at 8 p.m. September 15 at The Winchester Tavern in Lakewood. Tickets are $10 and are available at womackband.com. Albums will be available that day, but their music is up for purchase now on iTunes, Rhapsody and Amazon.