PORTLAND, Maine — Throughout "The Last Ride" tour, The Ghost of Paul Revere has been hinting at a new and final album. The band released that album at midnight Friday.
The album is titled "Goodbye," which is fitting because goodbye is imminent. The band is set to break up after its final two shows in Portland this weekend.
The Ghost of Paul Revere will play a VIP event at Oxbow Blending and Bottling on Friday night and then finish with its annual "Ghostland" show for thousands at Thompson's Point on Saturday.
Frontman Griffin Sherry said the new album, which is the band's ninth, was a product of their "forced vacation" for a year and a half during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"For the last record, we had a lot of guests and a lot of predictions. It was really big, and I think that this is a very different record," he said in a video posted to the band's Facebook page. "There's a lot of very naked and very vulnerable points, and there's also a lot of really loud and raucous points. And all of that was just us four in the studio being creative as much as we could."
The musicians' connection with their fans, particularly those in Maine, is a special one. That connection has been well-documented on the band's "Fans of The Ghost of Paul Revere" Facebook page.
"My first Ghost show in 3 years, and it will be their last. I'm just so grateful for them in the first place. Bittersweet," wrote one fan.
"I cried at my first show after their announcement. I will definitely be a mess at Ghostland," wrote another.
"Heart broken. My favorite band," wrote one fan, to which another responded, "Me too my dear friend. Hit me harder than my own divorce."
Though the band is calling Saturday's "Ghostland" show its last, that may not necessarily be true.
Sherry and bandmates Sean McCarthy and Max Davis all grew up together and graduated from Bonny Eagle High School. The Ghost of Paul Revere was officially formed in 2011 and, in 2018, the group added Chuck Gagne as its drummer.
Sherry told NEWS CENTER Maine's partners at the Portland Press Herald there’s “an idea floating around” about continuing "Ghostland" in some form, though nothing is definite.
The band members' futures are otherwise unclear, though Sherry told the Press Herald he plans to continue performing and recording on his own. In their goodbye announcement, the band said they would "keep everyone posted about our future, individual endeavors."
In 2019, The Ghost of Paul Revere's "Ballad of the 20th Maine" was established as Maine's official state ballad. The song tells the story of the 2nd Maine Infantry Regiment through the eyes of soldier Andrew Tozier, son of Litchfield, as the unit joined the 20th Maine and fought valiantly at Little Round Top in the Battle of Gettysburg.
“Through their music, the Ghost of Paul Revere has enriched our lives, brought Maine people to their feet, and made us all proud,” Gov. Janet Mills told NEWS CENTER Maine. “It is why I was so proud to sign into law a bill that made their famous ‘Ballad of the 20th Maine’ the official Ballad of the State of Maine, and now I join Maine people in thanking Davis, Sean and Griffin for the last impacting their music has had on us and in wishing them all the best in their future.”