From the opening moments of “Maryland,” the newest song from After Hours Radio, it is apparent this is a band that doesn’t stick to the . The buzzy synths give way to a simple, chiming arpeggio riff ala Change-era D-Plan. While lead singer Nate Erickson doesn’t quite channel the plainspoken delivery of Travis Morrison, his cadence does occasionally fall into a middle ground between talking and singing.
“Maryland” is such a dense and compelling song, it feels like it fits a 10-minutes epic into a relatively compact three-and-a-half minute runtime. The song climaxes in the final minute with ascending, palm muted guitar riffs before abruptly coming to a close, leaving the listener wanting more.
The band formed at University of Michigan, and after the production of their debut EP was completed, the band’s singer and drummer departed for careers overseas. That left principal songwriters Erickson (who took over vocals) and Greg Hughes remaining. The rejuvenated band recently moved to Ann Arbor to focus on writing and performing their 90s indie rock inspired tunes.
“The running title for this track while we were writing it was “Beaches” because of the fun and light tone of the instrumentals,” said synth/keyboardist Jordan Compton, who plays a prominent role in “Maryland.” “We were inspired by the groups that hosted us on our first tour and wanted to dedicate a song to their sacrifices and the work that they did to help us out.”
The band’s self-released sophomore EP What Happened is due for release on September 29, 2017. The songs were recorded at a home studio in Detroit by the band’s longtime friend Evan Klee-Peregon.
What Happened Track Listing:
1. Shifting Standards
2. Nobodys Home
3. Maryland
4. Wronged
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