The Clydes believe songs should jump out of the speakers the second you press play. On their new EP, Everything’s Not Dark, the veteran New Jersey alt-pop-rockers double down on the power of precision.
“It’s the art of not wasting a note or a moment,” guitarist Brian Johnson says.
The band’s new EP, on Mint 400 Records, is a three-song collection — a trio of tracks The Clydes rank among the very best they’ve created in their 15 years together. "Sleeping On The Side Of Your Head" hits you with a big guitar riff before hitting you again with a big chorus and then with a big synth interlude. It's all about pressing on in the face of darkness. "This Is The Night Shift" explodes with an incessant mix of new wave meets Britpop. It's about fighting through an anxious night.
The group, anchored by brothers Brent and Brian Johnson and bassist Andrew Orlando, released those two as singles in recent months. Now, they’ve put them together with a new track — "Soak On." That one starts with a cinematic burst of guitar chords and Mellotron.
Guitarist Brian, younger Johnson brother, came up with the music for "Soak On". He explains the inspiration behind the music. "Some of my favorite songs sound great on acoustic guitars or on cranked amplifiers. This is one of those. I wrote this on my Gibson Hummingbird, and it always sounded like it could stand on its own with only an acoustic. Then in band rehearsals, some of the Marshall amps were on full blast. The result is a sonic sound that is hard to create without those dynamics.”
Brent Johnson, the singer and eldest Johnson brother, talks about the melody and lyrics he then added. "The music Brian gave me sounded like hope floating. So I wrote about trying to soak in all the pressure life heaves at you and moving on instead of letting it drag you down. Sometimes that’s the only thing you can do."
“We also wrote it during the COVID pandemic, so everything was a little anxious, whether you wanted it to be or not. This song was kind of deep breath and a release.”
Just like the other two singles, Brent and Brian finished the arrangement for "Soak On" with bassist Orlando and longtime Jersey drummer Zakk Ekomomidis. They recorded all three tracks with producer Adam Vaccarelli at Retromedia Sound Studios in Red Bank, New Jersey.
Brent says it wasn’t designed this way, but the songs ended up being tied together by a theme — one represented in the EP’s title.
“Even if it seems the opposite sometimes, not everything is dark,” he says. “There’s always at least a little light.”
The EP is The Clydes’ fifth release with Mint 400, the Jersey indie label run by singer-songwriter-producer-artist Neil Sabatino.
They’ve released these three singles step by step as a precursor to a new full-length album they’re writing and recording. That will be out in the coming months.
Until then, soak in and soak on with Everything's Not Dark ...
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