For the past few decades, Rhode Island has had a very vibrant and rich singer-songwriter community. You can see a ton of them playing at venues all over the state on a regular basis, including Steve Allain.

While taking on an expansive approach to his craft, the Providence based artist incorporates elements of country, folk and blues along with having a knack for storytelling through his tunes. He also has been a collaborator with a wide array of musicians in the scene, which is exemplified in his new album “Bird In My Chest” that came out on May 9. This specific vibe within the full-length is shown through the sonic variety that’s present in the tracks from start to finish.

Allain worked with engineer Ross Lenzig on the recording process. They handled the production together. The songs were captured in two different settings, with some done in Swansea, Massachusetts and others in Grand Isle, Vermont.

“This is by far the best collection of songs that I have released,” he says about the making of “Bird In My Chest”. “Once we got them into the studio and started arranging them, the results exceeded my expectations.”

Along Tracie Potochnik from the folk duo Cardboard Ox into the fold, Allain included other musicians who are either based around the area or in other parts of the country. These include Tessa Sacramone on violin, Ben Shaw on saxophone, Bessie Bessin on accordion and Nicole Gauthier on backing vocals.

While some songs like “I Was Never Good Enough” and “Goddamn the Day” have noticeable amplification, the majority of “Bird In My Chest” is very stripped down while abiding by an acoustic aesthetic. This is highlighted through the tunes “Old House”, “Go to Glory” and “Long Sad Season” among others. There are themes of love, struggle and acceptance that come across at various instances, and they are best experienced through Allain’s lyrics.

To celebrate the release of the new album, there’s going to be a show happening on May 17 at The Music Mansion located on 88 Meeting Street in Providence starting at 5pm. To purchase tickets, log onto the venue’s website at musicmansion.org.

To check out “Bird In My Chest” before attending, look it up on either Spotify, YouTube or any other streaming service of your choice. For more information about Allain, other shows that he has coming up and the rest of his discography, log onto steveallain.com