There can be a lot embedded in a name. Issues of purpose and identity, of course, but for the world at large it can also signify a certain set of expectations and preconceptions. In the case of the Georgia Flood, the band discovered their moniker was suggestive of an altogether different style and aesthetic than what they aimed for, and despite their success the members found themselves spending considerable time and effort trying to dispel misconceptions surrounding their name. As a result, the group recently decided to undergo a change of identity and swap out the Georgia Flood for the more ambiguous and open-ended PREACHERVAN.
“It is important for an artist to be able to own their art, and the ability to control the message around it means you can share it with the world on your own terms,” the band explains via email. “The Georgia Flood had too many connotations and evoked preconceptions before people even had the chance to hear the music. PREACHERVAN doesn’t have a particular meaning around it that we care to explain to everyone, but it is most importantly a name that allows our work to speak for itself.”
Today, we’re happy to premiere the group’s first single since the change, and damn if it doesn’t sound like a band rejuvenated. Brothers Brooks Mason and Lane Kelly have always had a knack for merging effusive alt-pop with the trappings of more traditional rock, and here they stretch those stylings into three minutes of buoyant, anthemic liberation. Carried forth by funky grooves and euphoric, radio-friendly hooks, “Al Kapone” should please dedicated fans while paving new avenues for PREACHERVAN to evolve. It’s as much a shedding of the past as it is a declaration of purpose, and my guess is we’ll be hearing a lot more from the band sooner than later.
More Info
Web: preachervan.com
Bandcamp: preachervanband.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @PREACHERVAN
Instagram: @preachervan
SoundCloud: @preachervan
Twitter: @PREACHERVANband