On past albums, members of Asheville’s The Get Right Band have been concerned about the live performance of songs a bit more than the recorded versions.
The newest batch of sonically diverse songs by Silas Durocher (guitar, vocals), Jesse Gentry (bass, vocals) and JC Mears (drums, percussion, vocals) were recorded with a narrowed focus on making the best studio album possible.
What fans received from the concerted effort of these three talented performers is “Itchy Soul,” a 14-song, 52-minute album of music that hits on indie and straight-up rock with the band’s signature psychedelic vibe.
“Part of our vision for this record was to treat the recording process and the studio process as isolated things and completely disconnected from how we would play these songs live,” Durocher said. “It was to try something different and allow the studio recordings to be everything it should be with no limitations.”
“This is the first album that we have made where we crafted these recordings with the sole intention of just making an exciting record and not any emphasis on how we would do them live,” Mears added. “We have considered the live performance of songs a good deal with past albums, but this was the first time that we decided to figure out the performance aspect of these tunes after the fact. We have so much gratitude to be making music and that people get something from it.”
There wasn’t much seriously talk about delaying the release of “Itchy Soul” due to the lack of touring this summer. Instead, the trio stuck to its original plan for releasing the new music.
Time at home has given fans a great chance to listen to the new music. In fact, the title track has more than 50,000 spins on Spotify so far and the group has noticed more fan interaction on social media than for past releases.
“I think fans are connecting to the new album because the song quality is just as good, if not better, than previous albums, and the production is significantly better,” Gentry said. “When you are listening to your favorite independent bands, or watch early seasons of your favorite shows, it’s great as a fan to witness the improvements. I think fans would be happy with all things staying the same and us releasing great songs, but when things are improving it just makes you feel like you are there with us on that journey as well.”
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Durocher said there are some pros and cons to releasing new music during the pandemic. The downside, obviously, is that a lot of their pay comes from touring and selling albums at their shows. The group had to cancel its entire summer run of shows.
“The plus side is that maybe people have more time on their hands to spend with the music and we have been getting a bigger response to it than other releases we’ve had,” he said. “I like to think that it’s because it is a better record, but it could also be with the timing of releasing it.”
At 7 p.m. July 31, The Get Right Band will perform on a livestream from The Orange Peel. The stream can be accessed through the venue’s web site – www.theorangepeel.net.
The band has performed several livestreams during the pandemic but have kept them sparse in order to give the shows a more special feel. The special aspect for this show is that the group plans to perform “Itchy Soul” in its entirety. Some of the songs, Durocher said, haven’t been played live yet.
Mears admitted that livestreams can be a bit odd, “but loving what we do, making the best of the situation, and being able to change gears and be flexible is ultimately what will keep artists alive through these times,” he added. “In some ways, livestreams feel a bit more like playing in the studio, but since we know people are watching from afar, we still want to perform the songs and put on a show.
“After the initial months of not playing shows at all, I think we are all just eager to play regardless of the limitations that the pandemic is forcing. We miss the exchange of energy that happens between us and people when we are all in a room together, but I think that this time has renewed a sense of gratitude for all of us to be alive, making music, and reaching people by whatever means the current state of things allow.”