Ted Leo has always been a bit of a traveling troubadour—musically and literally. He’s lived everywhere from Indiana to New Jersey, New York City, Boston and Washington, D.C. before landing in Rhode Island. And his music has ranged from punk to a recent duo he formed with Aimee Mann called The Both. Now, in Leo’s new album, The Hanged Man—his 10th—he takes his music on a more personal journey. Recorded in his home studio in South County Rhode Island, he self-released the album September 8th.

Leo talks about the personal focus of the album. “I’ve always written about personal stuff, but this one happens to deal with some stuff that’s maybe more personal other things,” Leo says on the making of the album. “The body of songs that I had to choose from was from after the last seven years, and it was a massive amount. The album I would end up with was the album that I felt right to me. It felt like the album I needed to make.”

Tracks like “Moon Out Of Phase” and “You’re Like Me” are electrifyingly fuzzy, while others like “Can’t Go Back” and “The Nazarene” highlight Leo’s piano skills. He’s joined on some of the tracks by drummer Chris Wilson and Rhode Island saxophonist Adrienne Berry.

“At least the last three or four records that I’ve put out under my own name were largely made within the context of being an artist who is on tour with a band all the time,” he says on the incorporation of different elements with the new album. “They were sort of written in short bursts and recorded in a one-week studio session. While I don’t think I’ve ever stifled myself in my desire to bring other elements into the recordings, the nature of them was such that they reflected the live version of the band at the time. Not really having that happening very much at all for the last seven or eight years, in retrospect, helped me take off a seatbelt that I didn’t really know I was strapped into.”

Leo’s relationship with the Ocean State started over two decades ago. “I love it here and I’ve spent a lot of time here over the last 20 years,” Leo says. “Because I’m out and working a lot when I am home, and because I don’t actually live in the city, I think we do tend to stay home a lot.

“I’ve literally not been to the beach at all this summer,” Leo continues. “I have not been in the water. I love the beach and I love swimming in the ocean, but I’ve just been so busy that I haven’t forced myself to go down and take a walk by there every now and then. It’s a mile from where I’m at, and I almost never get there.”

Leo’s lack of beach time will likely continue as he travels New England in support of The Hanged Man. He and his backing band The Pharmacists will be at Brighton Music Hall in Allston, Massachusetts on September 17th, and at the Columbus Theatre in Providence on December 2nd with Bill Janovitz from Boston alternative rock stalwarts Buffalo Tom opening up. In between, he’ll have a solo performance at the Dr. Martens store on Newbury Street in Boston on October 5th.

Want to hear what‘s on Leo‘s playlist when he‘s not performing or writing tunes himself? Check out our Take a Listen Spotify channel. While you‘re there, check out what other musicians we’ve profiled are listening to as well.

Ted Leo
Wakefield, Rhode Island
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All photos courtesy of Ted Leo

The post The Hanged Man Lives appeared first on Take Magazine.

Art’s ability to provide peace of mind comes in many forms. It might come from a florescent painting capturing a moment in time, a sculpture serving as a physical representation of a certain emotion, or music that exemplifies what’s going on in your heart and soul. The latter is the case for Newport, Rhode Island, resident Malerie Day. Her soul psych rock project Wild Life has her joined by bassist Nick Arruda and drummer Matt Reinhardt to create a fuzzy and emphatic sound while she pulls off stunning riffs on her guitar. The band’s intensity and energy come from a place within Day that has an unrelenting need to be unleashed.

Wild Life arose after Day’s last band, Townman Charged, broke up. “We were a folk rock outfit comprised of my boyfriend at the time, who was the songwriter, and myself playing banjo and harmonies along with Matt [Reinhardt] on drums and Nick [Arruda] on bass as they do now. After my relationship with the singer ended, Matt, who is also one of my best friends, tried to convince me to put my own songs to the band.” At first, Day wasn’t convinced. “I thought it would be difficult to arrange my ‘folk’ songs with this arrangement,” she says, “but as soon as I plugged in the guitar and distortion pedals, I was on a totally different track and I was hooked. This part of me deep inside that was stagnant and untouched started to emerge. It was as if I always knew it was there but I didn’t have the courage before to let it out.”

Malerie Day and Wild Life, photo by Jessica Pohl

“I started to use this heavier sound and creativity as an outlet after a different breakup and Wild Life grew to become what it is today,” Day continues. “When the heartache was fresh, writing these songs was the only thing that felt right at the time. I sing about the shocking pain and confusion I was left with while paying homage to the magical yet brief relationship that I had with that person. I feel like many can relate to this; although it was turmoil that inspired me, I am thankful for my muse.”

On June 16, Wild Life released their debut EP Aquarius Moon and it’s quickly becoming one of the best local records to come out of Rhode Island so far in 2017. They recorded it at Big Nice Studio in Lincoln, Rhode Island. “It is a fantastic space where I felt safe to explore the potential of these four songs to their fullest,” she says. “It was a great first experience in a studio for me as a full band.”

The title track has a progressive and dreamy tone that jumps from heavy and distorted to, after a couple of minutes, jumpy and upbeat. “I Can’t Help It” is a song about love and heartbreak that has Day’s voice nearly screaming during the chorus. There’s a surf rock vibe within “Adorned” that makes the track almost—but not quite—a waltz. The EP finishes with “Haunt You,” a spooky essence leaning towards the blues realm while at the same time keeping the distortion intact.

Want to hear what’s on Day’s playlist these days? Check out our Take a Listen Spotify channel. While you’re there, check out the other musicians we’ve featured, as well as our Take staff playlist. You won’t be sorry.

Malerie Day–musician, Wild Life
Newport, Rhode Island
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Top image, Malerie Day; image by Jessica Pohl

The post Take a Walk on the Wild Life Side appeared first on Take Magazine.