Earlier this summer, Albany-based band Coupons released their 3rd full-length record, Wasted Intimacy, via Counter Intuitive Records.
The indie-rock band consists of Dan LaFave, Collin J Reynolds, Shannon Straney, Dylan Depice, and Dan Maddalone. The 11-track album is upbeat, unique, and a great listen with different styles intertwined throughout the project. Wasted Intimacy also showcases the band’s creativity and talent, with various members contributing to vocals, lyrics, and instrumentation.
The album includes songs for everyone to enjoy, with the first single released, “Waiting,” giving listeners an intense rock track with powerful vocals whereas other singles, such as “Milk,” slow things down. Produced by Scoops Dardaris, Wasted Intimacy highlights Coupons’ range of melodies, rhythms, and beats on this release.
Throughout the duration of Wasted Intimacy, listeners are met with catchy lyrics, and songs seemingly perfect for the stage. In the song “Break a Leg,” written by band member Collin Reynolds, the lyrics “do you wanna celebrate, do you even know my name, are you getting home okay, it’s not too late” are relatable and work perfectly to hook listeners in.
With the snappy guitar on “Mardi Gras,” beautiful vocals from Straney on “Milk,” and the building piano track “Anyone Else,” this album from Coupons shines. Every track holds your attention and leaves you captivated.
In support of the album release, the band recently played a show at Empire Live Underground in Albany. Joining the group included music from the likes of Oso Oso, Another Michael, and Laveda. Be sure to take a listen to Coupons’ full discography, and stay tuned for their next live show.
Fans of Coupons music can keep up with them on Instagram and Twitter. The new record is also available to purchase on vinyl as well as to stream across platforms.
On Friday, September 16th, The Mars Volta end their decade-long hiatus and release their self-titled seventh LP. The Mars Volta is the group’s first record under Clouds Hill Records, following the label’s reissue of the band’s back catalog in 2021; a vinyl box set dubbed “La Realidad De Los Sueños” (or “The Reality of Dreams”). This reissue was truly a dream come true to the many fans that have become familiar with The Mars Volta long after their records were available on the shelves.
Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of The Mars Volta. Shot by Fat Bob on Leica M10.
The set included all 6 previous LPs on 180g black vinyl, along with their 2002 debut EP Tremulant and the original demos from the Deloused In The Comatorium recording sessions called Landscape Tantrums. The demos were an intriguing part of the set, giving fans a look at the raw sound of the band before Rick Rubin put his finishing touches on. Limited to 5,000 copies the box set sold out nearly as fast as it was announced.
Shortly after the release of their sixth LP Noctourniquet in 2012, the El Paso prog rock titans announced that the band was no more. Evolving from a rift in the friendship of band leads Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the feud spilled online and caused the band to announce their break up. The Mars Volta had just completed a European tour behind the new album and Rodríguez-López wanted to move on to new projects while Bixler-Zavala wanted to do a full tour of North America. The feud was short lived however, with Omar and Cedric reconciling after the birth of Bixler-Zavala’s children. The two became creative again, forming the new band Antemasque for a short lived self-titled release and even resurrected At The Drive In for that project’s fourth LP, in*ter*a*lia. All of this activity left fans longing for The Mars Volta, but hope that the band would one day reconvene was as strong as ever.
According to an updated bio, Rodríguez-López began composing fragments of songs that would become The Mars Volta around the time in*ter*a*lia was coming together. The reunion of At The Drive In was cathartic for Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala’s relationship, albeit short lived. The group left it on good terms after a sizable tour behind the album, but the music of that project left Rodríguez-López feeling trapped in a style that was hard to be creative with. He knew that the time had come to resurrect The Mars Volta for the next chapter and Bixler-Zavala was on board.
The Mars Volta Cover Art.
Rodríguez-López wanted to make a “heavy pop” record. What could that possibly mean from a band that has alway made spastic and dense psychedelic prog rock with songs stretching well past the 10-minute mark? Ideas of a pop record floated around as early as 2008, but at that time, the band felt the urge to stay true to the frenetic prog rock sound they had pioneered up to that point and could not comprehend what pop sounded like for The Mars Volta.
After going through such a long hiatus from The Mars Volta and attempting to discover new things with old bands and new, Rodríguez-López and Bixler-Zavala knew it was time to evolve The Mars Volta into a brand new era. This meant isolating the musical elements that made The Mars Volta so unique, giving them more space in the mix to breathe, and shortening the songs into cohesive “pop” structures. This also meant giving Bixler-Zavala the freedom to write melodies based off his natural reaction to the instrumentals and treating them to a unique recording process. Rodríguez-López constructed a portable recording studio where Bixler-Zavala’s head was zipped inside of a box to create a level of intimacy to the vocal tracks. The vocals are as sharp and crisp as ever and without the dense layers of noise roaring behind them, we hear Bixler-Zavala in the most detail we ever have.
Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala of The Mars Volta. Shot by Fat Bob on Leica M10.
The “heaviness” also refers to the lyrical content itself. The songs focus on various tragedies and personal loss suffered by Bixler-Zavala. On previous records, Bixler-Zavala would write in deep riddles and invent his own lexicon for certain tracks. On The Mars Volta, the foreign riddles are traded for straight forward, yet poetic and haunting passages that are easier to decipher. “The most revolutionary thing for us to do was just be very simple and straight forward” Bixler-Zavala says about the lyrics. “Palm Full of Crux” was written as an ode to Jeremy Ward, who died shortly after recording Deloused In The Comatorium. “Flash Burns From Flashbacks” and “Collapsable Shoulders” are littered with courtroom and justice metaphors, referring to the impact Danny Masterson’s conduct has had on Bixler-Zavala’s family. It’s the “centrifugal ways” (sung on “Vigil”) always acting in opposition to our intentions that tear us apart – the one constant theme on The Mars Volta.
I think I’m coming undone, he bought the gavel to run all the crooked little cities.
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta sees the band successfully exploring many different musical genres, and stringing them together in surprising and exciting ways. Bixler-Zavala cites David Bowie specifically as inspiration,“noting that [Bowie] had mastered both challenging, experimental music and the pop format, often on the same song.” The dense overlapping of musical layers of the band’s past works is absent here, in favor of concise song writing focusing on groove and melody while allowing Bixler-Zavala’s vocals to seamlessly glaze over and come through cleanly. A prime example is on the second single, “Graveyard Love” where a sputtering drum beat plays behind a distinct bass line and swirling synths as Bixler-Zavala sings a delicate and haunting melody. Similarly, on “Tourmaline” Bixler-Zavala duets with a sparse acoustic arpeggio before a haunting array of psychedelic guitar and synths drop in, reminiscent of Radiohead’s darkest, jazzy moments.
A dominant presence on the album are funk-rock and Caribbean infused latin-jazz elements. “Qué Dios Te Maldiga Mí Corazón” might be the shortest song in the band’s catalog, but it‘s furious with a driving bongo rhythm and Bixler-Zavala’s Spanish vocal melodies (thinking “L’Via L’Viaquez” here). “The Requisition” and “No Case Gain” fuse funky rhythms, anthemic rock & roll vocals, and groovy guitar riffs that scream early Red Hot Chili Peppers (and even At The Drive In on “No Case Gain”). “Flash Burns From Flashbacks” is another psychedelic mix of guitar and synth arpeggios backed by a punchy and complex drum beat. Much of the drumming from new member Willy Rodriguez Quiñones seems influenced by a combination of Mahavishnu Orchestra and latin-jazz great Steve Berrios.
The album is “heavy” in many ways, but gets the most experimental on the slower ballads. “Palm Full of Crux” is a classic 70s folk/prog sound, floating somewhere between Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin III. “Collapsable Shoulders” again features Bixler-Zavala’s croon, but over a genre-defying slow-paced trap beat while he sings “a truancy of wasps begin trying to make us their home as we pull their wings off one by one.”
All of these varying musical genres and song structures are woven together in a meticulous way that never allows there to be any dead space on the album. When a band like The Mars Volta tune it back the way they do on The Mars Volta, the album can easily become disjointed and drag on in sections. Here, the album goes back and forth consistently between slower ballads and upbeat bangers, constantly peaking the listener’s attention as if on a roller coaster. Album closer “The Requisition” bottles this up in and of itself, kicking off with an uplifting and light keyboard driven ballad before dropping off into an evil Red Hot Chili Peppers style groove.
The menagerie of prog displayed on this album is only pulled off with the incredible production and engineering provided by Johann Scheerer of Clouds Hill Records, in collaboration with Rodríguez-López. While intentional in style, previous Mars Volta records were so dense that many of the layers blended into indiscernible psychedelic arrays. Here, every individual track is given so much space to ring out which somehow amplifies their presence. Every bass note, drum hit, and guitar pluck shine through in extreme detail, and the vocals have a level of depth that we have not heard from Bixler-Zavala before.
The three singles that were chosen to preview the album eclipsed the new direction perfectly. “Blacklight Shine” and “Graveyard Love” came off as different yet familiar, but then “Vigil” solidified the evolution, and shocked fans. The song kicks off with a R&B vocal ballad that swells into a shimmering, 70s era folk rock song with an anthemic chorus one might hear on Rumours or a number of other folk albums from that time period. Towards the end, the song dissolves into a sputtering and complex drum pattern while Bixler-Zavala’s vocal loops dissolve into the background. It is truly a remarkable change of pace for the band, and admittedly, shocking on first listen. The more you listen, the more the subtle elements fill in the perceived empty space, and you really appreciate the complexity they are able to achieve in the subtle instrumentals, while still discussing hauntingly tragic themes Volta fans are accustomed to.
“Vigil” by The Mars Volta. Via YouTube
First listen of The Mars Volta is admittedly a jarring, but an incredibly rewarding experience. The suspense that is created on the slower and more deliberate songs culminates into funky grooves, psychedelic arrays, and Latin jazz fusion around every corner. I could not help but to think back to the last time I saw the band live – Roseland Ballroom, 10/8/2009 – almost 13 years to the day the album will be released. I still have the poster from that night hanging in my apartment and will argue it is the best show I have ever seen. But hearing The Mars Volta in 2022, those shows are going to evolve into something even more special and beyond comprehension. The band loves to jam and mix songs live, and we are all on the edge of our seats waiting for our chance to experience it.
The Mars Volta is out on Clouds Hill Records this Friday, September 16th. You can still pre-order the standard and gold foil “Kinetic Editions” on vinyl from the band’s store, and copies of the limited box set La Realidad De Los Sueños have appeared online as well. The tour kicks off in Dallas, TX at The Factory In Deep Ellum on 9/22 and the New York shows happen on 9/29 and 9/30 at Terminal 5 in NYC. Tickets are still available for both nights on AXS.
If the catatonic walls close in on the hem again, pull the tether down for me. I’ve been hemorrhaging the sins of these lesser men.
The Mars Volta
Key Tracks – Tourmaline, EQUUS 3, Flash Burns From Flashbacks
Bluegrass grows among the Damn Tall Buildings in Brooklyn. Music discovery is quite an expedition; you never know what you’re going to find. Brooklyn is a melting pot, with its cacophony of beautiful genre influences, which can be heard moment by moment as you walk down its litered city streets. Discovering the band, Damn Tall Buildings is an absolute joy.
Assembled now as a trio, this Americana-Bluegrass band hails from various points around America, from Montana, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire. Max Capistran is the main lyricist, playing guitar and banjo while contributing vocals. Avery Ballotta, plays the fiddle and banjo and vocal harmonies. Sasha Dubyk completes the vocal trifecta with her beautiful voice while playing the Upright Bass.
On September ninth, they released their latest album, Sleeping Dogs. Playing their album and getting to know the band, I interviewed two members on the The Long Island Sound podcast. Max Capistran, and Avery Ballotta recounted their beginnings and their decade -long relationship which resulted in a friendship that is clearly exposed in their newly released album. Starting out as buskers on Newbury Street in Boston, they began touring nationally, and then moved the band to Brooklyn in 2017. They connect in the day to day interactions and hope their music brings joy to be spread around.
“Our innate desire is to connect with people on a level that’s beyond day-to-day interaction. Our hope is that the joy that making this music brings us will somehow get passed along to the people listening, which they can then take with them to pass along to someone else. It’s a shared celebration of positive energy, and that’s what keeps us cooking.”
Damn Tall Buildings
Popping their album, Sleeping Dogs into my car CD player, yes I still have a CD player, I was able to digest the essence of their music into my subconscious. The result brought a smile to my face and a hop in my step.It may do the same for you.
The curiosity lies in wondering why three people from diverse parts of our country would decide to settle Brooklyn? I have been to Montana. Fearing an extended stay would keep me in that heavenly place, my vacation soon ended and I was back to the familiarity of taxes and traffic on Long Island. Why anyone, with roots in paradise, would transplant themselves to Brooklyn is still a mystery. No disrespect to the “forgetta-bout-it” borough, but I wonder why? Maybe this new resignation from a rural existence is a lesson on how to immerse yourself into a metropolitan culture to get your creative juices flowing.
A Band Built on a Solid Foundation
New Album “Sleeping dogs”
Damn Tall Buildings has been around as a group for the past ten years, Max, Avery (a.k.a. Montana) and Sasha met in college at the Berkelee School of Music in Massachusetts. They honed their craft by literally playing on the street. What a great incubator for this Bluegrass-Americana band to grow. You’ll find that the album, Sleeping Dogs, is much more than a toe-tapping exercise in Bluegrass-Swing style music.The band invites us into their living room to experience their music. Their style is stripped down to the essentials, a standup bass plucked by Sasha, Banjo, a guitar fenesed by Max and Montana’s fiddle bringing it all together. Add some select harmonies, the twang of Max’s voice and you’ve got something special.
Their sound fits like an old coat, that’s weather worn, yet comfortable. A cloth that carries you through the seasons of your musical journey. The band makes you feel at home, warmed by the fires of a hearth, alongside your sleeping dog.
Discovering a well-spring of talent in New York is a worthwhile endeavor. The streams of creativity in Brooklyn and the rest of Long Island may have many flavors and are drawn from distant sources, but the satisfaction comes from drinking it all in.
Until next time, be generous with your joy, and let the music take you on a journey!
The Long Island Sound Podcast can be found at GigDestiny.com or wherever you listen to your podcasts. We feature original singer/songwriters and showcase some of their songs, as you get to know the artist behind the music.
On Sept. 9, Albany-based rock band Doctor Baker will release their album, Trespassers, produced by Don Fury at Don Fury Studios in Troy.
Consisting of Ed Schwarzschild (guitar, vocals), Iggy Calabria (guitar, vocals), Chris Gockley (bass), and Danny Goodwin (drums, percussion), Doctor Baker originally started as an acoustic duo before expanding. The complete band brings a strong sound to audiences within the Capitol Region and beyond.
An award-winning short story writer and novelist, Schwarzchild’s lyricism on Trespassers is evocative and compelling. The band’s sound on the album spans various emotions with the first single and lyric video, “Exhausted,” released on Aug. 30.
The album is like a story collection, but they’re stories that fit in with what’s going on in the world at the moment … the songs on the album acknowledge that there are some real problems, but we’re trying to stay lit up, we’re still trying to love, still trying to figure out what love is, still trying to maintain relationships with the people we’re close to.
– Ed Schwarzschild
The title of the album, Trespassers, came to Gockley and Schwarzchild after a performance by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy. The duo got lost on the way back to Albany and found themselves in a remote spot with “NO TRESPASSING” signs and the name of the album came to them. Of the title, Schwarzchild shares, “‘Hey we’re all trespassers now, let’s try to do things together, see each other clearly, see ourselves clearly.’”
Legendary producer Don Fury propelled the band’s sound forward, with the 11 songs ranging in instrumentation and tone. Backing vocals from Zan Strumfeld (Zan and the Winter Folk) and Melissa Thorne (Fol Chen) also strengthen the songs on the record.
Doctor Baker’s Trespassers includes heavily distorted tracks such as the title track and slows to pieces such as “Holiday Lights” as a change of pace. The instrumentation of the album at times sounds light and cheerful but after closer inspection of the lyrics, the band adds depth to each of the tracks including vivid descriptions and reflections of politics, climate change, and the human condition. There is a relatable song for every listener on this album.
In celebration of Trespasser’s release, Doctor Baker will be performing at The Linda on Sept. 10, and Albany Distilling Company on Sept. 23. Fans of the band can keep up with them on Instagram, here.
Wren Cove released its debut EP entitled Trees by Basement Factory Music on Aug. 1. Wren Cove is an instrumental band consists of multi-instrumentalist Andrew Cloninger,a former member of Daniel Bennett Group, and cellist Melissa Davies of the band Cottage Street.
Wren Cove “Trees”
They met in a record studio when Cloninger was recording his first EP in 10 years while Davies came to record the cello parts. This session was the beginning of an interesting musical journey. They hope to bring one-of-a-kind instrumental performances to the Rochester and Finger Lakes region.
Melissa Davies lives in Rochester, NY, with her husband and two children. She is the cellist in the indie rock group Cottage Street Band and enjoys creating art installations and murals. Andrew Cloninger resides in Canandaigua, NY, with his wife and son. He was the primary singer/songwriter in various Americana roots bands as well as the founding guitarist in the Daniel Bennett Group. Over the years Andrew has shared the stage with such acts as Father John Misty, Unwed Sailor, Joy Electric, and jazz great Charlie Hunter.
Opening with cello solo, then transitioned to the combination of cello and drums through a series of electronic static, synth, and guitar melody, the first song of the EP “Wheeler” brought out a powerful energy.
The next song “Douglas” is more tender. Davies’s cello flew out like a continuous running river, and Cloninger’s guitar is adding drops on the river like rain.
Overall, the pieces in the EP conveys a sence of nature. Referring back to its name Trees, the cello is the steady main stream while the guitar and other instruments injected modern enegery into the songs. Their further performances on Sept. 10 at Pollot Gallery in NYC and Oct. 9 at Big aLICe Brewery in Geneva worth expectations.
Rochester artist Sam Nitsch is releasing his brand new album Under the Influencer, which expands on common criticisms of social media.
Photo Credit: Maddy Nguyen.
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Nitsch originates out of Rochester and is a multi-instrument recording artist and has been a member of several orchestras and chamber ensembles, eventually becoming an awarded concertmaster of the NY Conference All-State String Orchestra.
He has provided backup vocals for Josh Groban’s summer tour during his stop in Saratoga Springs and performed for Rochester Philharmonic League Young Artists Auditions Winners Recital and the Rochester Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Sam Nitch’s second album Under the Influencer comes out on Aug. 26, and it is written about the common criticisms of social media, and how it can be harmful to those who compare themselves to others. He wrote this during the pandemic when suddenly everyone became isolated.
His most recent single “Follow Me” is an upbeat, chill song with lyrics about social media and cancel culture. The chorus “Follow me/Like what I do/Tell all your friends to follow too/What can I say?/It’s what I do/Find what you want,” is a good comment about society and social media, and how we are so concerned with our followers and who is following us, it is addicting.
The brand new album from Sam Nitsch called Under the Influencer is out now on all streaming platforms.
NYC-based singer-songwriter Marina Laurendi is set to release her full debut EP, Stay Mine, on Friday, Aug. 26.
A native of Western NY, Laurendi blends two energies into her album: the pulse of NYC and the nostalgia of her quieter roots. The EP comes after three previous single releases, “Gramercy,” “Neighborhood Kids,” and “Upper East Side,” out earlier this year.
With a sound similar to early Lana Del Rey, Best Coast, and Phoebe Bridgers, and vivid lyricism intertwined, the four-track Stay Mine EP cuts deep. The title track describes a larger-than-life romance with an invitation for adventure. With a moody timpani beat, electric guitar, and ethereal three-part harmony, the song pulls you in and keeps you there throughout the journey.
Marina Laurendi’s tales of idealism, dreaming, nostalgia, and wanderlust are beautifully written and captured within the tracks of Stay Mine. The poetic stories Laurendi shares are genuine as they are creative. While the instrumentation on the album varies from slow strums to upbeat pop percussion, Laurendi’s voice and clear tone stay consistent.
With the debut EP Stay Mine, Marina Laurendi cements herself as someone to watch in the alternative music scene. The young artist is also currently a quarter-finalist in the competition to open at this year’s Hollywood Bowl with voting ending Sep. 1.
Be sure to take a listen to the entire EP when it releases on Aug. 26. Until then, croon alongside Laurendi with her recent single releases and reminisce with her authentic lyricism.
On Friday, July 22, Dan Gerken, known as Danger! Ken as a solo act, released his sophomore album, I’ll Do It Myself.
The 8-track album is available now to stream and share on Bandcamp, before eventually going live in a few weeks on Danger! Ken’s music website. Hailing from Averill Park, the NY-based artist is a multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer. I’ll Do It Myself is full of original music and Danger! Ken played every single instrument on the record – an impressive feat considering the range of instrumentation on the project.
The album begins with a synthesized dreamlike track, appropriately titled, “Intro,” that builds with percussion and backing vocals relying mostly on all instrumentation. Similar to the artist’s first track on his freshman album, Up is Down, this intro track allows listeners to get lost and focus on just the beats of the music. “Reach Out,” the second track on the album, begins with stretched-out vocals from Danger! Ken with interesting guitar riffs and drums underlying the lyrics. An electric guitar solo in the middle brings more energy to the song adding to its character.
Other songs such as “Secrets of Your Life,” and “Are You Comin’ With?” would be great additions to any radio song list with catchy beats. The latter is more lyric-heavy than some of the album tracks, with Danger! Ken singing, “All the days / gleaming sun upon my face / tell me it doesn’t have to end” to begin.
I’ll Do It Myself is a great representation of Danger! Ken’s talent and creativity as a solo artist. With the diversity in the instrumentation and elements of multiple genres, there is sure to be a favorite track for any listener on the album. Catch Danger! Ken at upcoming shows this summer, including at Ships Pub on August 19 and Slidin’ Dirty in Troy on September 3.
Take a listen to the full album on Bandcamp and more of Danger! Ken’s music is available to explore below.
On Friday, July 29, Beyoncé dropped her seventh studio album, Renaissance, to the delight of her fans worldwide. The album is the first act of a trilogy project from the singer, who dedicated the record to her family, via Instagram.
Renaissance Album Cover
Renaissance, just as Beyoncé penned to fans, is surely an album of empowerment, exploration, and creativity full of hype songs to let loose to. The famous performer and mother wrote the album during the COVID-19 pandemic in the hope it would provide a safe space “to scream, release, [and] feel freedom.” With the 16 songs coming in at just over an hour, the new album does just that.
The first track, “I’m That Girl,” opens a hint at the album, providing listeners with multiple overlays, repetitive chants, and Beyoncé’s familiar vocals and empowering lyrics. “Cozy,” brings an entirely sultry new beat, where Beyoncé passionately sings, “comfortable in my skin / cozy with who I am.” Much of the album celebrates self-love and incorporates and honors so many different styles of dance music.
The popstar unapologetically explores multiple genres on her album – the first full release since her critically acclaimed Lemonade release – with inspiration from hip-hop, trap, techno, rap, and much more. “Break My Soul,” the first single released off the new album dropped in June and gives listeners a taste of her house music style with a sample of Robin S’s “Show Me Love” hit.
In addition to different samples from various artists, the album also features a great line-up. Fans can listen in for the collaborations of Grace Jones, Beam, and Tems. Beyoncé plays with her sound, lyrics, and creative inclusions, making the album the perfect release for the rest of the summer. It would not be surprising to see snippets of the album start trending across social media platforms.
The record is varied, offering the best beats to energize and dance in front of the mirror no matter who is watching. With a vocal range and energetic sound which fans have come to hope for from the star, Beyoncé continues to assert her domination in the industry with this newest release.
Key tracks: Break My Soul, Virgo’s Groove, I’m That Girl
A Fragile Tomorrow released their new album It’s Better That Way on July 15th via MPress Records. This album combined many of the band’s musical interests and new tryouts which included Krautrock-psychedelia, indie rock swagger, Crowded House-esque pop songcraft, British folk and hip-hop-influenced sampling.
Members of A Fragile Tomorrow are founders Sean Kelly, Brendan Kelly, and Shaun Rhoades, as well as new additions Josh Kean and Peter Holsapple. They released 5 albums including their independent Music award winning debut album Make Me Over and have shared stages with artists including Indigo Girls, Drivin’ N Cryin’ and Matthew Sweet.
Musically the main theme of the new album from A Fragile Tomorrow is trying not to be boxed in. Brendan Kelly summarized this from their experience that they scrapped almost half of completed songs, and re-approached the production to jump out of the very specific sound in mind previously.
Lyrically, there are a few themes threaded throughout in this political record. It includes being worn down by capitalism, feeling disillusioned with the music industry and struggling to adjust, and anxiety about grief, isolation, politics, religion, or the state of the world.
“I would say that this album is really just a summary of who we are as a band. We embraced our roots as a pop band, but continued exploring our more experimental side like we did on our last album, Generation Loss, and tried to take that further (in different ways). It covers everything from riff rock, to hip hop production, to post punk, power pop, psych rock, and even folk. I’m really proud of the production on this album and the way we were able to tie everything we love into what I think feels like a cohesive unit.”
Brendan Kelly
“All Signs To Amsterdam” decipted anorexia, “Another Club” tells a story of losing a mother, and “Sandy” tributes to Sandy Denny to critical current social/political issues. “Fraying Wire” responded to January 6th, “For An Eye” looks at the prison and military industrial-complexes that are backed by a harsh capitalistic system, “Look Out” supports salt-of-the-earth union workers,and “Lost In Art” conveys a message of resistance to the conformity of mainstream music and the music industry.
“All Signs to Amsterdam” was reworked after the departure of previous member. It starts with electronic guitar strum, and vocal and drum come in later. The melodies were inspired by 70s British folk like Fairport Convention. It didn’t have a chorus progression but the chorus are big and fuzzy which injected the song an exciting vibe. Lyrically, this song is about anorexia, relates to their 2013 European tour where Sean Kelly’s eating disorder really started getting serious.
Another Club described a story of being in the “club” of losing mother at a relatively young age. Inspired by the album ‘Comet, Come To Me’ of Meshell Ndegeocello, the verse has a vibe of soul music with a peaceful sorrow. It also combines several different musical pieces that both Brendan and Kelly wrote, while Peter’s organ solo stoodout as is his harmonica playing. These infusion added more elements with different feelings to the song.
“Fraying Wire,” one of the centerpieces of the album, was written and recorded on Kelly’s Fender Jaguar in a made up open tuning. The opening drum which feels like hitting a jar is like a reflection of the political mess on January 6, 2021. Then the guitar brings an interesting chord progression and tuning as the added vocal harmonies provided a holy sound to the song.
For An Eye is a direct criticism of the prison industrial complex and the death penalty. The “percussive” drum beats from a double floor tom is a great example of some of the rhythmic direction the band were trying to go in early on. Peter’s synth strings as well as Brendan’s messy, noisy solo built a stream-of-consciousness style.
Look Out! is a pro-union, anti-capitalism song that also criticizes the hypocrisy of Washington. The bassline was a looped line with added chord changes and dynamic shifts around. The real drums inject life to the song. Peter’s cascading arpeggiating synths and thingsturned it into something pretty amorphous and genre nonbinary, despite it originally being something sort of Clash and The Specials influenced.
“Collapsed Catholic” is currently the favorite song of the Montgomery-born guitarist, songwriter, and pedal master Brendan Kelly. This song feels like a journey and was originally intended to be the opening of the album. Therefore, it tied together a lot of the different elements that appear throughout the record. Introduced with psychedelic noise, a big guitar riff and some frantic drums, hip hop-inspired sampling in the bridge, the song also includes a little dreamy synth breakdown, and a great guitar solo.
“It’s really an amalgamation of everything we love and everything we’re interested in exploring. It’s probably best described as “art rock,” which is a term I shouldn’t like but really do. I think it’s a term that throws genre out the window, which is something that appeals to me.”
Sean Kelly
Produced by A Fragile Tomorrow, with additional production by Peter Holsapple and mastered by Grammy winning mastering engineer Alan Silverman, this experimental album included unusual but wonderful thinking of members and enjoyable music compositions.
