After nearly a decade of making experimental psych-pop and always searching for new sounds, Phoenix-based Emby Alexander returns with new music. Their sixth album, Soars Era, will be released on July 24 via Earth Libraries.
Over the course of the past couple of weeks the band has released three singles, “Dye it Gold”, “You Can Do It” and their latest single “Protect Your Rings (Gaudy Bauble)‘. All three singles that have been released so far have a very positive and joyful vibe. The first version of “Dye it Gold” was written outside at a park picnic table while on tour and when it was time to record the band’s Spine Island studio provided to (although rickety, “we ran out of mic stands and taped the room mic to a TV” Alexander recalls) capture that magic. The band jammed the space full of musical instruments, art and film projectors so they’d be ready to capture new ideas as quickly as possible.
The boundless creativity of the band is not only to be heard in the music but is also reflected in the process of recording. In “You Can Do It” a half-filled bathtub has been used for percussion. “I was afraid that I was going to slip in and electrocute myself, but everything went smoothly” as said by Alexander.
“Protect Your Rings (Gaudy Bauble)” is an energetic and super catchy indie rock track, wanting to be played at a summer festival. “This is our attempt at a no-fluff kind of song. Angular and to-the-point,” Alexander explains of the track. “Channeling The Smiths and Modest Mouse probably…The main theme is really about maintaining a balance between being proud and being humble. There are a million hidden layers as usual though. The music began as a deliberate ripoff of ‘Jennifer’ by Faust. I don’t think it’s apparent in our final form but maybe somebody will notice.”
He continues saying, “We skipped our normal touring schedule and recorded this at Sabbath Recording in Cincinnati with Jake Merritt. We drove all the way from Phoenix. We’re all big fans of Jake’s band Pomegranates. This song already had a similar clean, jangly, guitar-driven sound going for it, so we thought Jake could help accomplish our vision. The clarity on the drums is my favorite part. Jeremy (Lentz) gets drowned out on a lot of the records and you’d have to have a really keen ear or see us live to grasp how good he is, but on this one, you can hear all his little ghost-notes and details so nicely.”
Last year Digital Beat Magazine had the chance to have a chat with frontman Michael Alexander in which he told us about some other singles (“Up In The Air (Meet You There,)” and “Morality Of Accuracy In Photojournalism”) that will be included on Soars Era as well. Read the interview here.
Interview: Emby Alexander Talks New Singles And Upcoming Album ‘Soars Era’
Video for “Protect Your Rings” (Gaudy Bauble):
Soars Era Tracklisting:
1. Dye It Gold
2. Protect Your Rings (Gaudy Bauble)
3. Fell In To The Sun (UFO)
4. Part For You
5. Up In The Air (Meet You There)
6. Minnesota Pop
7. High Waisted
8. Boy In The Mist
9. Morality Of Accuracy In Photojournalism
10. You Can Do It
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