Henning Ohlenbusch has had a long and illustrious career on the Valley music scene, one that dates back to his days as the bassist/songwriter for the popular psychedelic pop band Aloha Steamtrain.

When that group spilt, he launched a career as both a solo artist and leader of his own band, Gentle Hen.

When Ohlenbusch is not working with Gentle Hen, which also includes such established Valley musicians as guitarist Anthony Westcott, keyboardist Ken Maiuri, bassist Max Germer and drummer Brian Marchese, you will find him playing with the Fawns, Sitting Next to Brian, Bourgeois Heroes, and Goldwater.

Ohelnbusch has also performed with Winterpills, Chris Collingwood and, for the past couple of years, he has toured extensively with Mark Mulcahy’s band Polaris.

If that’s not enough, he also works as a producer and heads up the local record label Rub Wrongways Records, which has released discs by the Fawns, Salvation Alley String band, Beach Honey and many others.

Gentle Hen has been together almost 15 years, but worked under the moniker School for the Dead until 2014, when they switched to Gentle Hen.

The band has a new album called “The Bells on the Boats on the Bay,” its first release in almost seven years.

Gentle Hen will hold a CD release show at the Parlor Room in Northampton on Friday, May 13, at 8 p.m.

The 10 songs on “The Bells on the Boats on the Bay” showcase Ohlenbusch’s strong pop sensibility. And while Gentle Hen exhibits a strong influence of the music of the 1960’s on many of these tunes, they are in no way a retro band.

Under the guidance of producer Frank Padellero (King Radio), this talented group of musicians adds all types of sonic textures to their music — like the electric guitar blast that pops up on the quiet “Waiting for Life” that puts this disc beyond the standard pop fare.

And, as in his previous projects, Ohlenbusch tackles all types of subjects in his lyrics, from the mundane observations of life on “The People You See Regularly Never Grow Old” to the self-effacing jabs heard on the immensely hummable, “Somebody Else’s  Problems.”

Catchy songs, innovative arrangements and smart, clever lyrics make “The Bell on the Boats on the Bay” a disc you will want to add to your collection.

You can hear for yourself when Gentle Hen takes the stage at the Parlor Room. The band will play music from the new album as well as songs from their back catalog, and a Gentle Hen show is more than just your regular concert.  

The band has been known to act out scenes from old sitcoms, play wacky covers tunes and present their custom-made, crowd-fueled madlibs. So who knows what they have in store for this show.

Ohlenbusch recently took the time to answer a few questions about the new album, the show and his thoughts on holding his CD release show on Friday the 13th.

Sheryl Hunter: “The Bells on the Boats on the Bay” is quite a title.  Where did it come from?

Henning Ohlenbusch: It’s a line from one of the songs on the album called “Levitation.” It’s sung from the perspective of a person who developed an ability to float in the air one night at a small beach party.

The full line is, “As I floated in the air, I could not feel the wind, though the bells on the boats on the bay were banging in the breeze.” I’ve always been enchanted by the sound of small boats in a harbor at night. I love the gentle dinging and clanging of their little metal bits as they sway in the water. All the Bs in the alliteration of that line are like the beat of those bells.

SH: Is there a song on the album that is your favorite or perhaps one that you are most proud of? 

HO: Right after I finish writing a song, it generally becomes my favorite. That is, until either I write the next one or I rediscover an older one.

It’s really difficult though to look at a whole collection, like an album, and pick a favorite. They all have their own personalities. It’s like picking a favorite food. Maybe you think French onion soup is your favorite food. That changes if it is time for dessert or you need something to eat at a hot, humid, picnic at the beach.

So I can say “Jake and Kim Broke Up (Leave Me Out Of It)” is one of my favorites to play live, because the audience can immediately relate to the novelty of the rhythm.

Or “Waiting for Life” is my favorite for a late-night record-listening party.

Similarly, “Somebody Else’s Problem” would be my go-to for a sunny summer road trip. They’ve all got their own situations where they excel.

SH: Why did this album take so long to make? 

HO: Ugh. So many reasons.

The first one, and probably the biggest factor, is that I have a hard time rushing creativity. It’s probably a pretty big fault and I’m trying to work on it. I like to let things simmer and stew and develop over time. One of the songs on this new album was written in 1992. So, when all the other earthly obstacles of people’s schedules and logistics and calendars popped up, my instinct was to just patiently let things unfold, rather than trying to force an outcome.

We generally have done all of our recording on our own here in Northampton at Rub Wrongways Studios, with me engineering. For this record, we opted to try something new and we were lucky to find that our friend and recordist supreme, Frank Padellaro, was up for the task. His studio was hidden way up in the woods of New Hampshire at the time. We would make the trip on weekends spread out through the years. It definitely added a lot of time to the process but it was real nice to escape to a place where we had only music to focus on. Music and the bears right outside the windows that is.

SH: Over the years, you have had the opportunity to work closely with musicians like Mark Mulcahy and Chris Collingwood — how have they influenced your own work? 

HO: Chris and I share a lot of the same aesthetics when it comes to music. We seek out songwriting that focuses on clever and moving lyrics and melodies that behave in tandem with the cadence of the English language. I think working with Chris has helped encourage me to think about and rethink every word I use, to not take any choices lightly, to really, earnestly work on crafting a song, to edit carefully.

I’ve spent a lot of time on the stage and in the studio with Mark over the years. People often remark about his amazing singing voice and, as a result, his songwriting, phrasing, and lyric skills are not spoken about enough. Mark’s got a real connection to the organic rhythmic groove beneath each song. I think I’ve learned from him to try to trust my instinctual musical gut more in my performances. To be really in the moment, rather than in my own head.

SH: Is there an opening act for this show? 

HO: There is no opening act. We’re so happy to be presenting this album at The Parlor Room. It’s one of our favorite spots. Each concert there feels like a special night with the candles in the dark room and the audiences who are genuinely there to lose themselves in the music. We can’t wait!

SH: Are you at all superstitious? I ask this because you are holding your release show on Friday the 13th.

HO: I am not superstitious at all. I believe it is bad luck to be.

Visit: www.gentlehen.com

Advance tickets are $10 and can be purchased at: www.signaturesoundspresents.com or $13 at the door. Advance tickets are recommended. The Parlor Room is located at 32 Masonic St. in Northampton. This is a BYOB venue. Save this date. Ohlenbusch, Lesa Beso, Beach Honey and the Salvation Alley String Band will appear at the Montague Bookmill on Saturday, May 28, at 8 p.m.

Sheryl Hunter is a music writer who lives in Easthampton. Her work has appeared in various regional and national magazines. You can contact her at soundslocal@yahoo.com