Step back in time with us for a second, way back, to the days of yore, when candles lit the backrooms of pubs, and the only means of public transportation were either barges or mule-drawn carriages. Yes, we’re speaking of the year 2003 – when any type of wave, be it chill or shoe, sounded more like an outbreak of diphtheria than a tasteful form of music. A time when a group of ragtag NYC boys known as The Strokes dominated the airwaves, and anyone even closely resembling their sound drew automatic comparisons and was quickly discounted as a knockoff.
For those who remember, the band Longwave was unfairly categorized in that group. But anyone who took the time to get to know its second album, The Strangest Things, found it to be a deeply emotional, complex, and completely satisfying experience. They were a band that never really hit a stride, however, and the two subsequent albums left more want, than desires, filled.
Then, last year, Katie alerted us all to the presence of Hurricane Bells – the new project for Longwave singer Steve Schiltz, giving us hope for future musical goodness. And lo and behold! We deliver with great joy our Jam of the Day, “Possibilities,” which is just all kinds of wonderful. From its indie-rock soul, it branches out into the realm of ’80s guitar solos, and then circles back, proving Mr. Schiltz may have grown a good deal, but is still able to harness what got us so excited in the first place.
Check out “Possibilities” below and get the entire album Tides and Tales when it drops next week, right here.