ALBANY– The indie-rock band E.R.I.E is set to release its new album, “Suburban Mayhem,” a record representing the band’s thoughtful look at the world around them presented in their signature style, on Saturday, April 7.
The band will host an album release party that same evening at Lost & Found in Albany. On April 27th, they will be playing at the Park Theatre in Glens Falls.
Debuting off the record is a new single titled “World is on Fire,” featuring Sydney Worthley. Guitarist Matt Delgado describes working with her as “awesome.”
“It felt like we’d known each other for years,” said vocalist and founder of the band, TJ Foster. Foster wanted Worthley to be on the record after hearing her perform live, and they connected over songwriting and local music.
While writing “Bad Man’s World,” he thought Worthley would be the perfect vocal accompaniment on the track. “We sent her the demo tracks,” said Foster. “She sent back a ton of vocal ideas— the rest is history.”
Suburban Mayhem unites the band’s differing styles. Bassist Levi Jennes is influenced by Progressive Rock, while Matt Delgado is inspired by alternative music. TJ Foster cited Death Cab for Cutie as a musical influence; drummer Chad Flewwelling’s style is shaped by heavier rock.
“The variety of all those influences encapsulates all that we do,” commented Delgado.
Levi Jennes remarked on the record’s similarities with its progressive rock origins: “The album starts and ends with a theme… lyrics that connect together without being a concept album.”
The record is not a concept album, but there is a strong vision behind every song.
“It’s more about looking outward,” said Foster. “The first record was very inward focused, about the things happening to me— physical health and mental health issues. Going into this one, for a number of reasons, I didn’t want to do more of the same.”
He noted that “a lot of these songs fell into place naturally with those sorts of themes” about the social and political climate that surround their lives. The album intentionally delves into these topics with a nuanced eye.
Levi Jennes agreed: “As you get older, you realize the mayhem going on around you. All of the real-world things that are on this record existed when we were kids, but we didn’t know it. Now that we’re older, we see it.”
“I liked playing with the idea of the suburbs when I was young versus now that I’m older,” said Foster. The word dichotomy is used by the band to explain the parallels that unfold within the album, and Delgado pointed out its “tongue-in-cheek” self-awareness.
E.R.I.E is embracing their self-described ‘real-world’ perspective, and they’re eager to add the record and their band to the canon of the local music and arts scene.
Foster recalled E.R.I.E’s origins as a ‘pet project.’ The band stemmed from Foster’s unexpected time in the hospital. Reflecting on his experience, Foster made a record and founded the band afterwards, which he joked was “a little backwards but worked out.”
The band name has special meaning for Foster. The name E.R.I.E is a collage of the last two letters of each of his daughters’ first names, the dots mirroring his youngest daughter’s nickname.
“This band is our source of mental catharsis,” said Foster.
“We’ve been playing our instruments for most of our lives,” commented Chad Flewwelling. He describes it as “the best” to be playing music with his friends.
“We’re four guys who genuinely love what we’re doing, genuinely love our scene,” Foster said, adding about the band’s future. “We’re excited.”
