Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 07/26/2024
Chris Batten & the Woods are back with "2 For The Summer" - a pair of tracks released on July 26, 2024. One that was a live show favorite from the late 2000s and one that has been part of many live shows since the band reformed in 2013.
With lavish arrangements, sprawling instrumentation, biting production and Batten’s always authentically emotional lyrics, these 2 songs hit with the energy and scale of an entire album.
"Hey Little Lovely" is a beach storming, summer road song with the romantic energy of late-70’s Springsteen pulled through the expansive lens of 90’s Americana alternative rock.
"It's exactly the type of track that the band put out in their early days that first caught my attention and made them one of my favorite Jersey bands," said music writer, Gary Wien.
“We’ve got a lot of new material in the works,” says leader and songwriter, Chris Batten. “But, when I heard these two songs together, it clicked! They play out like bookends surrounding a day at the shore…a song for the day and a song for the night.”
"Some Days" is a slow burning meditation that dances around a slinky, alt-country riff as the Woods grow larger and larger around Batten’s powerful vocal lamenting about how fragile strength can be.
"Sometimes I think bands need a break to fully realize what they have together," added Wien. "After taking some time apart, Chris Batten & the Woods reemerged with the same passion and energy that they showed in their debut album. It's great seeing them release new music again. They were a band with a distinct sound and they've picked up right where they left."
Fans who caught the band back in the late 2000’s may remember "Hey Little Lovely" as a live staple at shows leading up to their hiatus — while those who’ve been seeing CB&TW live since they reformed in 2013 will surely recognize "Some Days," from being road tested at many shows.
Pairing songs from two different eras of the band added another spark of magic to the process — as the band is also celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
“I’m really proud that I’ve been able to keep this band going for that long…it’s wild.” Batten admits. “But it’s all because of the 5 of us. Dustin and I started this band 20 years ago. Nick, Stroube and Rucci have been jamming together since high school. We all eventually found each other through family and mutual friends. It’s such a natural thing in our lives now cause we’ve allowed the band to grow, as we all did individually for the past 2 decades. We’re a family when it comes to this band — we’re just 5 dads, having too much fun!”
And the band grows on — with Batten’s 10 year-old son adding xylophone to a track.
“My sons and I have been fooling around with music in my studio since they were born,” says Batten. “It was only a matter of time before they started playing on our songs and Charlie totally nailed that classic Springsteen bell sound (on Hey Little Lovely). I look forward to bringing in more of our kids to future sessions.”
“2 for the Summer” is streaming everywhere on July 26, 2024. For more live tracks and songs from over the years, check out the band's SoundCloud page.
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