End of the week! Let’s all celebrate with a brand new track from Great Lakes USA. Their new EP ‘Stumblin’ Distance is out on Black Numbers (CD + Digital) and Coffeebreath And Heartache (Vinyl) on June 1st and you can listen to ‘Shaking Hands’ below:
The track-listing is as follows:
1. The Best Band At O’Brien’s
2. Crows
3. Aim So Low
4. Down (II)
5. Paralyzed
6. Shaking Hands
To go along with this PT writer Nicole Carter had a chat with the band about the new EP and plans for 2015.
1: You guys have been hard at work on some new music, that we should be getting to hear pretty soon. Would you mind talking about that a little bit? What can we expect from the new record as far as the direction/goals you have for the record? Any new elements to the creative/recording process? Is there anything specific you hope the listener gets out of the record?
In the years since the release of our first full length, “Live Fast, Die Whenever” (Black Numbers/Coffee Breath & Heartache), there have been a lot of changes with the band. When we wrote the full length we were just newly a three piece and I was taking on the role as the lead singer, something that I had never done previously, so we were really just trying to find solid ground at that point and discover our sound. Once the release came out we played a lot more, toured Europe, and it just really gave me the training needed to be able to perform more dynamically as a vocalist something that is really very apparent on this new record. We have also added a new guitarist into the fold in the form of Mike Przygoda (No Trigger) and he has added a new layer of depth and complexity to the songs on the new record. Mike has an amazing ear for song writing and melody that you will easily be able to hear shine through when comparing these new tracks to our older material.
As for the recording process, we decided to head back to Getaway Group Studios to record with engineer/producer Jay Maas for this one. Having Jay behind the knobs just makes sense to me. I have been recording with him in one band or another since he started his studio years back, so we are just super comfortable working with him and always extremely proud of what he helps us create.
2: Any touring in the works for the near future? If so where? Anywhere in particular you would like to go that you haven’t played before/haven’t played enough or you just absolutely love playing? Anyone in particular you would love to be touring with or plan to tour with?
Within the next year we are trying to get back over to Europe as soon as humanly possible. Touring their last year was a dream for us. We made some great friends there and played a string of killer shows with UK’s Leagues Apart. They are just far more receptive overseas, people just come out to shows and engage in a way they don’t really do here in the States. As for dream tours locales, I would love for us to head over to Australia and Japan in the near future.
3: What records/bands have you been stoked on lately? Any new releases you’ve been hyped on? What are you most looking forward to coming out this year?
Being from Boston we are surrounded by a massive scene of really exciting bands. Choke Up put out their first LP this year and it’s unarguably a perfect record. Tied To A Bear have something on the horizon and if it’s half as good as their live show it sure to blow everyone’s socks off. Trophy Lungs, New Warden, and The Stereo State are always on our radar too.
4: Is there anything else we can expect from you soon? What else would you like to do this year?
New songs are already being written and the excessive snow in Boston has us itching to leave and hit the road a bit more this year.