When artists have been playing shows for an extended period of time, the desire to evolve as a musician either becomes an obsession that rides roughshod over whatever made them interesting in the first place, or the artist gets caught in the loop of what made them successful in the past. It’s been over 10 years for Eureka California creator Jake Ward, yet so far he hasn’t succumbed to either extreme, choosing instead to explore every possible angle of chunky, organic rock and roll (please don’t sue me Campbell’s® Soup), without deviating from his roots as an insightful bedroom songwriter.
“Threads,” the first single off the duo’s upcoming LP Roadrunners, picks up where the band left off with 2016’s Versus, a fiery ode to Athens filled with a depth of insight I hadn’t heard from the band before. Ward and drummer Marie Uhler continue to confront the tinnitus hum of dead-end jobs, the mortality of relevance, and in this case, the existential threat of nuclear annihilation, which still takes a backseat to the more mundane headaches of life.
The duo have always had a bombastic charm, often barely able to keep up with their own onslaught. Each riff charges out of Ward’s amp with a mind of its own leaving lyrics and rhythm struggling in the wake. This blunt-force energy makes Eureka California tracks impossible to ignore, but “Threads” proves that Ward can tame the beast without losing the fire. The sharpened ‘90s alternative sound is a tantalizing way forward for the band, who have experimented with everything from lo-fi emo jams to noise rock. Give it a listen below.
Roadrunners is out May 4 via HHBTM Records. Vinyl pre-orders are available here and CDs here.
In preparation for the new record, the duo are about to embark on two-week tour of the Southeast including a few dates at SXSW. Check out the full list of dates below.
SXSW Dates
Mar 14 – SXSWaterloo Day Party – Waterloo Cycles
Mar 15 – HHBTM Official Showcase – Seven Grand
Mar 16 – New Granada Day Party – Gingerman
Mar 16 – Crashing Through Publicity & Tiger Bomb Promotions Day Party – Beerland
Mar 17 – Athens in Austin Day Party – Side Bar
Spring Tour
Apr 18 – Chattanooga, TN – Sluggo’s
Apr 19 – Nashville, TN – Springwater
Apr 20 – Columbus, OH – Tree Bar
Apr 21 – Cleveland, OH – The Happy Dog
Apr 24 – Boston, MA – House show
Apr 25 – Brooklyn, NY – The Well
Apr 27 – Washington, DC – TBA
Apr 28 – Roanoke, VA – Parkway Brewing Co.
Apr 29 – Chapel Hill, NC – The Cave
Apr 30 – Greenville, SC – The Radio Room
May 04 – Athens, GA – Little Kings [Record Release]
More Info
Web: eurekacaliforniaband.com
Bandcamp: eurekacalifornia.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @eurekacalifornia
Instagram: @eurekacalifornia
SoundCloud: @eurekacalifornia
Twitter: @eurekacalifone