"A fabulous and fresh slice of positivity, wrapped up in a finely-tuned package of upbeat and harmonious pop-rock that will leave you wanting more and checking local concert listings to see if the band is heading your way. Impeccably performed; superbly arranged and produced" ~ The Spill Magazine
"Wistful, bittersweet and soaring power pop... With echoes of the likes of Teenage Fanclub and Dinosaur Junior, as well as the classicism of 80s indie-pop, it’s yearning and hooky in all the right places, a gleaming melodic pick me up" ~ God is in the TV Zine
NYC indie pop collective Gramercy Arms presents 'Never Say Anything', a gorgeously performed paean to paranoid times. This is the second taste of the band's fourth album 'The Making Of the Making Of', released via Magic Door Record Label.
Gramercy Arms is a revolving collective of musicians and artists, masterminded by Dave Derby (The Dambuilders, Lloyd Cole) and producer Ray Ketchem (Elk City, Guided By Voices, Luna). This particular track features shimmering acoustic guitars by Derby, moody basslines by Lysa Opfer (Aeon Station) and haunting sonic textures by Mark Lizotte (Diesel) on guitar, vocals and effects.
“Never Say Anything' is a song about unease and paranoia in the strange environment we inhabit right now. The fear of not knowing if someone is listening in. In some ways, it was inspired by the films 'The Conversation' and 'The Secret Lives of Others', which deal with surveillance and swirling paranoia," says Dave Derby.
"We did two separate takes of 'Never Say Anything' during the 'Deleted Scenes' / 'Making Of' sessions. The ‘band’ version with its frenetic early Feelies-inspired drumming fits the mood of 'Deleted Scenes' better. This version is darker and sweeter at the same time and my personal favorite of the two. Lysa Opfer’s harmonic bass parts are sublime and gorgeous. Mark Lizotte, true to form, recorded parts in his Sydney, Australia home studio, taking the song to new unexpected heights."
The accompanying video, created by Debora Francis, features members of the Gramercy Arms collective, including Jessie Kilguss, Renee LoBue, Richard Alwyn Fisher, Ray Ketchem, Dave Derby, Sean Eden, Gary Burton, Claudia Chopek, Lysa Opfer and Phoebe Summersquash.
Inspired by the artistic heyday of ‘70s and ‘80s-era New York City, Gramercy Arms makes addictive indie pop - exquisite hook-laden melodies filled with lyrics that will have you floating back in time and remembering your favorite mistake.
This album was produced, recorded and mixed by Ray Ketchem at Magic Door Recording in Montclair, NJ with mastering by Ketchem and award-winning engineer Greg Calbi (John Lennon, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, Tom Petty).
Earlier, Gramercy Arms released the lead track 'After the After Party', a rueful power pop gem about chances missed and taken, featuring longtime collaborators Kevin March (Guided by Voices, Shudder to Think, The Dambuilders), Hilken Mancini (Fuzzy, the Monsieurs), Rainy Orteca (Joan As Police Woman, Dead Air) and Mike Errico.
'Never Say Anything (Acoustic)' is out now, available from fine music platforms - Apple Music, Spotify, Bandcamp and elsewhere. 'The Making Of the Making Of' album, slated for release on April 26, is now available for pre-order.
CREDITS
Written by Dave Derby (Passive Aggressive Music BMI)
Dave Derby - main vocals, guitars
Mark Lizotte - guitars, backing vocals, effects
Lysa Opfer - bass
Recorded at the Magic Door Studio, Montclair, NJ
Engineered, Mixed and Produced by Ray Ketchem
Mastered by Greg Calibi and Ray Ketchem
'After The After Party' video by Max Skaff
'Never Say Anything' video by Debora Francis
Dave Derby photos by Debora Francis
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