Party of the Sun finds freedom in process with “World is Wide” - (10/13/21)
Party of the Sun, World is Wide, Photograph by Sammie T
Party of the Sun release their new single “World is Wide,” available October 13th on Digital Formats via Trailing Twelve Records.
On the heels of their sophomore album released last month, New Hampshire based psych-folk trio Party of the Sun promptly returns with “World is Wide, a new entry into their catalog of organic and heartfelt spatial folk. Born out of creative experimentation, “World is Wide” marks a paradigm shift within the band’s process and output.
Singer and songwriter Ethan McBrien shares that while working within the context of an album can be gratifying, it can also stifle exploration and playfulness in the process. After wrapping up their latest album, Fullest Hour, McBrien and writer/producer Rory Hurley decided to “treat the new songs as individual pieces - while continuity may emerge, it will not be our priority.”
The song by song approach serves to expand the scope of Party of the Sun’s creative output to encapsulate both cohesive full-length albums as well as consistent standalone pieces.
McBrien shares the process that spurred “World is Wide” below.
After weeks of rain, the sky clears for the full moon. It’s the last week of July as we work to complete “World is Wide”. The mushroom bloom surges through the saturated forest floor. We find boletes and Jack-o'-lanterns fruiting by Rory’s house. The wildfire haze is thick across the northeast sky, we think about loved ones and what the earth is saying.
While “World is Wide” is sonically familiar to Party of the Sun’s signature brand of delicate folk, we can hear a varied approach to lyric and structure. Immediately dropping into a steady strum, walking bass, and soft percussion, we find McBrien’s soft and yearning vocal weave between the sun-soaked layers. McBrien remarks on the passage of time and fleeting relationships while Hurley’s electric guitar echos and answers each stanza - adding dimension and character to the easy-going production.
“World is Wide” is out October 13th, 2021 on Digital Formats via Trailing Twelve.
Take a listen to “World is Wide” below.
Party of the Sun is:
Ethan McBrien – guitars, banjo, keyboards, vocals
Rory Hurley – guitars, keyboards, drums, bass, mandolin
Garrett Cameron – drums, vibraphone, percussion
Recorded at the base of Kidder Hill in Marlborough, New Hampshire
Mixed & Mastered by Rory Hurley
Cover Photograph by Sammie T
Press Photos by Ben Conant
Press Contact: trailingtwelve@gmail.com
TTRS-050
© & ℗ 2021 Trailing Twelve Records. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Copying, Reproduction, Hiring, Lending, Public Performance, And Broadcasting Strictly Prohibited.
PARTY OF THE SUN - World is Wide
TTRS-050
Released 13 October 2021
Length: 2:47
BIO
Party of the Sun is a psychedelic folk band from New Hampshire, comprised of Ethan McBrien, Rory Hurley, and Garrett Cameron. Writing and recording in various nature-bound locations, such as a small New England sheep farm, the band has released two EPs and two full-length albums over the span of just a few years.
With coverage including Atwood Magazine, Glide, UNXIGNED, and alexrainbirdMusic, Party of the Sun’s music has been described as heartfelt, warm, and meditative. Exploring themes of connectedness, time, nature, and fatherhood, Party of the Sun crafts timeless folk with nods to psychedelia and Americana.
Party of the Sun has been featured in television shows such as Deputy on Fox and Charmed on The CW. They have shared the stage with acts including William Tyler, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Footings, The Weight Band, and more.