The Erly Return with Full Length Album “Salem Lights”, US Tour
Americana/rock group The Erly has returned with their latest offering, the long-awaited album “Salem Lights,” set for release on September 4th. A fusion of folk and classic rock, the LP spans eleven tracks that take the listener on a journey of story-based lyricism and infectious melodies. Playing with themes of heartbreak, loss, redemption, and gratitude, they utilize elements of jam, soul, and groove to concoct a sound all their own. The result is clean, rhythmic, accessible music best suited for listeners of Dawes, Houndmouth, Briscoe, Grateful Dead, and Hiss Golden Messenger.
Based in Niles, Michigan, The Erly is composed of Fran Gleason (drums, vocals), Trevor McDonald (guitar, vocals), Collin Mattiford (bass, vocals), and Simon Kauffman Hurst (keys). They have toured extensively as a four-piece, igniting audiences from local dive bars to festival fields. It is their tight musicianship that guides all of their releases, having landed notable press in Earmilk, Markets Herald, Music Times, Red Chuck Productions, Soul Tracks, Clout, Jammerzine, and Tinnitist, among various other publications.
Their most recent single, “55 On The Other Side,” is a true highlight from the album, having received its own dose of love from fans and press alike. The track is upbeat, with electric guitar riffs, and complex drum fills – all born from an initial, old bass line. With lines like, “You drift and I glide, 55 on the other side,” it is a tongue and cheek exploration of, “an internal need to follow one’s path that results in an unusual form of driving.” Drew Stolz , a frequent second guitarist for The Erly’s live shows, recorded the harmonizing guitar and first solo guitar. An accompanying music video features the band playing in the front seat of a convertible, flying down the landscapes of various groovy green screens, every bit as joyous and playful as the track itself.
The album opens with “Carolina,” a country-infused call to the things that inspire us in times of need. With the line, ““Sleeping on the job while the papers stack,/ waiting for the overseas plan of attack,” the audience is immediately immersed in The Erly’s world of vivid storytelling. There is a sense of eartness in the refrain, “But I try, oh lord I try,” that feels both urgent and moving.
Tracks like “Sally” and “Reading the Call” lean into a surf rock vibe, relying on smooth and laidback harmonies. For the latter, Gleason removed the snare drum from his drum kit and instead used an orange nesso table lamp with a strip of gaff tape as the backbeat. “LA Time” has a similar retro sound, which calls into question false idols and internet culture.
There are moments of well-timed melancholy, with “Let It Roll,” which features slide guitar, the group’s classic microphone bleed, and lots of beautiful harmony. It plays as a waltz of sorts, with moving lines like, “I’ve been waiting for the dealer to call me out,/ I’ve been waiting for the waiter to clear my doubt/ but the people that I see are the same as you and me,/ all alone.” The title track was created after a break in recording in Valparaiso, IN. The lyrics, an ode to all of the complications in running into an ex lover, were penned in 45 minutes by Mattiford. It is a strong contender for best ballad on the album, alongside “Wreckage.”
Perhaps the rawest track is “OH10,” a song about being stuck in Ohio that begs to be sung with a crowd. “We wanted to dive deeper into a raw, more stripped-back arrangement that puts the lyrics at the forefront,” the band shares. “With Simon on a honky-tonk out-of-tune piano, Collin giving us his best impersonation of a sheriff while playing bass, Trevor with a rootsy guitar solo and lap steel, and Fran on drums and lead vocals, ‘OH10’ came together quickly and effortlessly from the first harmony laden chorus to the final jam-out section at the end.”
“Salem Lights” was born out of happenstance, a jam sesh with intent to create demos in Gleason’s basement evolving into the completed body of work. Produced by Paul Bennett, the band describes the album as, “No metronome, all the microphone bleed you can get, and the true sound of The Erly working together in their natural state.”
