E.R.I.E., the Albany, NY pop/rock quartet, is back with a mesmerizing twist on their sophomore album, Suburban Mayhem. Introducing "Suburban Tranquility," a collection of six tracks reimagined with stripped-down intimacy and heartfelt collaboration.
Vocalist TJ Foster describes the process as a deliberate endeavor to unveil the essence of their songs. Each track was meticulously deconstructed, allowing for a fresh interpretation that illuminates the depth of their lyrics and songwriting. The result? A captivating EP that invites listeners into a world of serenity amidst the chaos.
The collaborative spirit of "Suburban Tranquility" shines through with the addition of local talents. Lauren Foster and Sydney Worthley lend their voices once more, while Caity Gallagher and Julia Alsarraf infuse new dimensions into the melodies. Violinist Jahna Stanton adds a layer of richness, elevating the emotional resonance of the music.
Bassist Levi Jennes reflects on the creative journey, noting the opportunity to explore new sonic landscapes. The EP showcases the band's versatility and evolution, offering a compelling contrast to their signature urgent sound.
"Suburban Tranquility" serves as a poignant reminder to embrace moments of stillness amidst the chaos of everyday life. It's a testament to E.R.I.E.'s ability to craft music that resonates on a deeply personal level, inviting listeners to find solace in the quiet corners of existence.
For fans of The Gaslight Anthem, The Civil Wars, and Iron & Wine, "Suburban Tranquility" is a must-listen addition to E.R.I.E.'s catalog. It's a testament to their artistry and a glimpse into the boundless creativity that defines their musical journey.
With "Suburban Tranquility," E.R.I.E. continues to push the boundaries of their sound while staying true to the heartfelt storytelling that has captivated audiences since their inception. As they navigate the currents of the music industry, one thing remains certain: E.R.I.E. is a band destined for greatness.
PICTURE OF YOU
This is arguably the saddest song on Suburban Mayhem, though it’s hard to tell since it’s such an uptempo, punk-adjacent tune. I wanted to re-imagine it in a somber environment that matched the lyrics. I knew right away that Julia (Alsarraf) had the perfect voice to deliver the bridge that Matt (Delgado, guitar) sings on the record, and thankfully she agreed to contribute. I tried quite a few times to add more to the arrangement but kept coming back to the more minimalist approach we ended up with. There’s just something so beautiful about the sparsity.
CAN’T STOP RUNNIN’
‘Can’t Stop Runnin’’ was a song I’d played solo a few times, but in a very similar fashion to the original, rhythm and tempo wise. It felt too easy to replicate that for this EP, so I thought about what the song would sound like as a complete rewrite. I tuned my nylon string guitar to an alternate tuning and messed around with the key until I found something that felt warm and organic. My wife Lauren, who sang on the original, re-tracked her harmonies to fit the new key and vibe. My goal for this one was to have it feel like it was recorded live in a room, even though (spoiler alert) it wasn’t. It’s the first time I purposely didn’t record to a metronome in many years - don’t tell our drummer.
WORLD IS ON FIRE
This was the song that sort of prompted this whole exercise. I began messing around in Pro Tools with subtracting most of the elements from the original song, and re-adding them back in in the form of different instruments. It got to an interesting enough point that I wanted to give the same treatment to other songs on the record. Sydney (Worthley) was kind enough to re-track her vocals to fit the more whispery approach that I took when re-tracking, and her violin player, Jahna Stanton, came in and laid down an absolutely gorgeous string arrangement. This is the song that’s probably the closest to its original you’ll find on here, yet it still manages to take on new life.
LONG WAY AROUND
‘Long Way Around’ gave us the most trouble. Oddly enough, my original intention was to have this version be more akin to how ‘Picture of You’ turned out – a lonely piano and dark vocal driving the entire song. But as the others took shape, this one really started to feel like a drag. Levi (Jennes, bass) and I began swapping files back and forth with ideas, which ended up steering us down a more ‘digital’ sounding path. It’s definitely the sonic outlier here, but it was one of our favorites to put together, even if it did come together in the 11th hour.
LITTLE HEARTBREAK
Before it existed on Suburban Mayhem, I performed this solo for a local video series. Caity (Gallagher) was in attendance and she came up to me after saying she loved the song, and immediately was singing harmonies to it in her head. When we were making the record, our friends in the band Rosalind (ex-ALMA) provided the perfect soundscape to the full-band version with their tight, three-part harmonies. I always wanted to revisit the ideas that Caity originally had though, and this was obviously the perfect opportunity. I stripped the song down to a more fingerpicked style and it came together rather quickly from there. If I had to pick a favorite, it would probably be this one.
AFTER ALL
‘After All’ is one of my favorite songs on Suburban Mayhem, but it doesn’t get a lot of attention simply because it’s the slow, dare-I-say ballad on the record. I loved the idea of showing it some love, if for no other reason than the lyrics are some of the ones I’m proudest of from those sessions. I had the pleasure of doing a video session with Mike Dwyer at The Bunker Recordings, and I re-imagined this song to match the mood and just loved how it turned out. I’ve never released a live take of mine before; I generally hate the way I sound. Mike must’ve worked some sort of magic though because I was rather fond of the performance and didn’t see a need to reinvent the wheel. Also, his dog (and studio mascot) Cooper makes an appearance, with some tippy-tappy paw percussion on the studio’s wood floor. What’s not to love about that?