Americana rock outfit Earnhardt present their debut eponymous album. This collection is comprised of 9 tracks, built to stand as a showcase of the band’s diversity and a culmination of their labors. It will be released on vinyl on June 14 as a limited edition of 250 copies.
The ‘Earnhardt’ LP is the band’s second release to date, following up their ‘Live at 100’ EP, released in 2017. In the meantime, the band has been busy touring, writing new material and recording.
Based in Brooklyn, Earnhardt are songwriter Adam Gerard (guitar and vocals), Grant Anderson (drums and vocals), John MacDonald (lead guitar), Steve ‘Sunshine’ Stapleton (bass), and Veronica Davila(vocals).
FOR SHARING
Bandcamp https://earnhardt.
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/
‘After All’ (2017) https://youtu.be/yilHGP_5-0Y
‘Wild Hair’ (2017) https://vimeo.com/250555727
“This record is a collection of rock songs about that universal human struggle, that broken heart. They’re all true, and meant to be listened to loud, ideally a couple of drinks deep, heavy-hearted or not. I think I tried to write a bunch of country songs and they ended up sounding more like 90’s FM rock radio. I love the hook of a song. It’s got to sound good. We embrace the hook…the pop element of it,” says frontman Adam Gerard.
Earnhardt is alt-country for people who like The Verve, heartland rock ‘n’ roll for people who like The Smiths, and Americana for people who hate the word ‘Americana’. These are songs for saddling up to the bar with when you could use one or several drinks.
These songs are about getting hurt, feeling it, and doing what you need to do to feel better. They’re about having a drink on it, for better or worse. Like Cobain said, they’re about “missing the comfort in being sad.”
For two tequila–fueled weeks in late summer 2016, the band lived and breathed these songs, refining the sound under the supervision of engineer and co-producer Ben Brodin (Conor Oberst, First Aid Kit, Savages, Pete Yorn), who handled recording and mixing at Another Recording Company Studios in Omaha, Nebraska, in addition to contributing piano, keyboards and guitar.
“As bandmates we really know each other. There’s a collective instinct that we share when it comes to what something ought to sound like. This record has been a long time coming and we’re grateful to be able to share it,” says Adam Gerard.
Earnhardt also received mastering support by none other than Alex DeTurk (Taylor Swift, David Bowie, Kamasi Washington, David Lynch, Blonde Redhead).
This album involves a guest appearance by Mike Mogis (Julian Casablancas, TrashCan Sinatras, She & Him, Jenny Lewis), also known for composing the soundtrack to ‘A Fault in Our Stars’. He contributes pedal steel on ‘Women Without Whiskey’, where Earnhardt offers their own rendition of the classic Drive-By Truckers track. Former bandmate Dominique Otto also contributed vocals throughout the record.
“We’re so excited to finally have these recordings see the light of day, so now we can start looking ahead to the next record,” says Steve ‘Sunshine’ Stapleton.
Earnhardt’s music is inspired by the likes of The War on Drugs, Steve Earle, Counting Crows
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac, Emmylou Harris, Kurt Vile and The Replacements.
Adam Gerard and Grant Anderson previously performed as part of Young Lords, later forming the band Red Horse, releasing material with Steve Stapleton on bass. John MacDonald was also busy around this time as a member of Brooklyn-based The Archive. After a few years of sharing stages at shows around Brooklyn, Earnhardt began playing with MacDonald to round out the band’s unique sound. Veronica Davila, also of the Brooklyn-based group Low Roller, adds vocal harmonies.
As of June 14, The ‘Earnhardt’ LP will be available on vinyl. Already now it can be downloaded from digital stores and the band’s own Bandcampsite, and is streaming on Spotify.
TRACK LIST
01 Drywall
02 Neversink
03 Digoxin
04 Nature
05 Long Shot
06 Transmissions
07 Angel Coast
08 Women Without Whiskey
09 KT
CREDITS
All songs written by Adam Gerard (copyright 2019 Croup Productions)
except ‘Women Without Whiskey’, written by Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Earl Hicks, Rob Malone and Brad Morgan (courtesy of Razor & Tie Music)
All songs performed by Earnhardt: Grant Anderson, Adam Gerard, John MacDonald, Dominique Otto and Steve ‘Sunshine’ Stapleton.
Additional musicians: Ben Brodin (piano, keyboards, guitar), Mike Mogis (pedal steel on ‘Women Without Whiskey’).
Recorded and mixed in late 2016 at ARC Studios in Omaha, NE by Ben Brodin, with assistance from Jon Ochsner.
Produced by Earnhardt and Ben Brodin
Mastered by Alex DeTurk in Brooklyn, NY
Executive produced by Radio Free
Album photography by Ben Sklar
Layout and design by Courtney “Ceebo” Beaumont, Jr.
Photos by Rachel Rosenberg
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