Nadeem SalaamBlame Candy | When I Was Cool | Premiere
There’s something powerful about what spawns from the ashes of a former life. Blame Candy‘s bandleader Chris Greatti can attest to that: from the loss of a family member, a girlfriend, and even an entire band, before turning all of that into what you’re hearing with this new project. What’s most powerful to me about all this, is that is has the potential for greatness surviving so much before a single note was ever played, maybe even lending itself to this new start. You’ll likely notice something really wonderful about Blame Candy too, that their style of indie-rock has a certain subtle maturity, that’s what gracefulness looks and sounds like. But it’s easy to miss, and I explain why.
We often never get to see the minutia, we imagine the blood, the sweat, and the tears, only in the vacuum of writing music and perfecting of craft, but with Blame Candy i’m compelled to share that you get to see the tumultuousness of the life lived as a musician as well, because you’d hardly know Greatti missed a beat.
“When I Was Cooler” describes the exodus of friends and social circles that were once seemingly the bedrock of your life. We’ve all been there in our own way, and if you’re a musician (and likely have the wounds to show for it,) this song describes this through the lens of what happens after bands break up and people dissipate faster than dew hit by next mornings sunlight, although Chris would say, “The song is about people who only want to be your friend if you have money or social status. I found myself in a very disconcerting situation after my first band broke up a few years ago. When the news of the breakup got out, people with whom I thought I had real relationships starting disappearing from my life like rabbits at a magic show – not the best feeling ever.”
If the melody driven guitar rock they produce doesn’t wrap your ears in its warm fuzzy velvety bliss, it’s pretty darn awesome these little messages can actually work and work excitedly in anthemic qualities–so well like they do with Blame Candy. It’s all a part of their magic, the sounds all push you to deal with your inner demons and hang ups while simultaneously lifting you up to the light.
Early this summer, I first saw the band at Philly’s Ortliebs headlining an event my Brooklyn homeboys The Midnight Hollow were there to support. They expand on the best of rock from the late 70’s to modern day Indie-rock and pop (especially pre-2010’s) and do so with hypnotic gusto: a word Greatti and I exchanged a conversation on that I used was “Duende.” Duende is transcendental, it erases everything you’ve gone through that week, that year, and pushes every little thought out of your head. Musicians are capable of reaching that far they touch the entire room, almost like a magic spell. They’re the kind of band that has a fire burning in their live performance that leaves little unscathed, something top-notch music chops and all heart channel.
Hearing these newly pressed cuts from their upcoming EP, like their debut “Life Like You” or this gem of a follow up “When I Was Cool,” also turned my head, every guitar tone, rhythmic dynamic, blistering guitar solo, every vocal feat were immensely cared for, it’s the only way it sounds like they’re in my living room when i’m hearing this, turning it up pissing off my neighbors. I think that’s a part of what Blame Candy is capable of doing, both live and on record, and it’s bound to propel their work to the far reaches of crowded rooms and translate easily to listeners ears in any pocket of the world.
Blame Candy’s debut EP, EP1, is expected to be released October 21 and you can pre-order it here now. These Philly boys are taking this as far as they can, so don’t miss a show, as I promise it’s going to be a sweaty catharsis-inducing time, lucky for NYC they’re here fairly often to provide just that and you catch them as soon as Alice Magazine’s party at Berlin, Tuesday November 8th with The Midnight Hollow and The Karma Killers.