It would seem fitting that the first time I witnessed the sublime warmth and beauty that is The Novel Ideas‘ music it was in a listening room setting with walls as heightened as the harmonies that echoed out from the stage. There is a certain equilibrium that weighs tempo and drive with grace and delicate tonal qualities. The first track, “I Was Not Around” off of their latest release St. Paul Sessions takes the latter to entirely new heights. With a soaring vocal from Sarah Grella and harmonies that lift it up and and settle it gently into the anticipated release in a full, robust arrangement that brings a sense of light to the tune. Gorgeous.
Guitarist and singer Daniel Radin remarked, “We decided that while we put the finishing touches on the album we recorded in LA, we’d record and release something entirely different in the meantime. Something raw, live, and simple, that aims to capture our on-stage energy. So we set up in a beautiful old church near our hometown in MA and recorded 6 songs live, all new and unreleased.”
That live feeling is evident in this recording, but done so in an incredibly tasteful way. The sound quality is prime, but there is an energy in the performance that echoes the sentiment of the band’s live shows. You can truly feel the music.
Radin says about the release, “We’re thrilled with the final result, in no small part due to the help of our friend Harris of Darlingside who mixed the EP.
This track is one we’ve been playing since The Novel Ideas became a live band. Our vocalist Sarah Grella wrote it before she joined the band and it used to be the only song she lead on. We’ve been playing it for a few years and now we’re excited to finally release it.”
The St. Paul Sessions officially releases on April 8th with a show at Lilypad in Cambridge ( TICKETS) but we have an exclusive stream of the first track here today. Check it out…
April 1st – The Parlor Room – Northampton, MA w/ Mo Kenney
April 8th – Lilypad – Cambridge, MA w/ The Western Den
April 30th – Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 – NYC, NY
(Photo Credit: Steve Flaherty)