New York City based trio The Chordaes released their latest offering What we Breathe In on February 22 on Riverine Music, and we are so happy to be able to share this amazing EP with you.
The band launched their career in 2014, the culmination of years of musical camaraderie between Leo Sawikin and Ethan Glenn, which began in seventh grade at Churchill School in Manhattan. They added Kevin Foley to the mix and quickly earned the praise of numerous music publications, including Elmore Magazine, which cited their “diverse array of sounds and ideas, inspired by the freewheeling experimentation of Radiohead and late period Beatles while retaining a strictly pop essence.” They were voted the Best New Alt Rock Artist (NY) in 2015 by Deli Magazine.
As they continue to grow their fan base with regular live performances at NYC spots like Rockwood Music Hall and Mercury Lounge, praise for their music has rolled in. Substream wrote of In Itinere (their previous EP from 2017) that it was “packed with some of the best low key, guilty pleasure pop-rock jams of the year.” They received comparable praise from All Things Go Music, who said: “Burning slowly like the first stages of a fire . . . the New York outfit blends the raw, candid lyricism of early alternative rock with the expertise of classic Americana and doesn’t spill a drop.”
The band used a Wrecking Crew-inspired recording process, led by producer Marc Swersky (Joe Cocker, Roger Daltrey). Most of the instruments were captured live with minimal overdubs, resulting in a timeless sound. The songs are driven by the insightful songwriting of Sawikin, and are reflective of the struggle of young millenials trying to find their way in today’s culture. They speak of a rising sense of powerlessness – both in the world and in their own personal relationships.
The album’s infectious, soaring lead single, “Venus,” was mixed by Mark Needham (The Killers, The Revivalists), and is about longing for someone who is out of reach but who holds power over one’s heart. Sawikin explains: “The idea of the song is that like two neighboring planets, we are locked in place by forces greater than we are. It’s about being in limbo with someone, being powerless to move closer to or further from them.”
The title track is a true generational anthem and a declaration of our
common humanity in a time when leaders sow fear and hatred. Helping to create the song’s driving sound is mixer Kevin Killen, whose countless credits include U2’s indelible “Pride (In the Name of Love).” In fact, comparisons to the sound of early U2 would be most appropriate for this amazing collection of songs, which are truly radio friendly and begging for industry attention.
Similarly, they use the sound of British Invasion bands like The Kinks and The Zombies on their track, “Tuesday Afternoon.” Sawikin’s lyrics are spot on, reflecting the conflicts of everyday living and of needing “some time alone” to sort things out.
There are no weak songs on this EP, and we think that you will want to listen to them over and over again. The EP closes with “Miles Across the Sea,” which is centered around Sawikin’s 12-string
guitar and piercing vocal. It is a flat out heartbreaker that explores the perennial question: “Why can’t we master our emotions and simply move on?”
The EP is available for streaming on Spotify and for purchase on Bandcamp and other retailers.
One reply on “The Chordaes hit the right note with their latest release”
Your review seems spot on to me. Really enjoyed the tracks on Spotify. Good luck Chordaes