VINYL STATION – “HERE COMES YOUR GHOST”
A SPILL EXCLUSIVE MUSIC PREMIERE
Usually a visit from an apparition elicits some sort of memory from the past, a specter from the metaphysical world returning to reestablish itself in the present. For Vinyl Station, the Phoenix indie rock band set to release haunting new single “Here Comes Your Ghost” via H1 Massive this week after premiering exclusively today by Spill Magazine, the sentiment swirling around the song title can take on a few different meanings.
For some, the “Ghost” in question could be the band’s past, as a handful of fan-favorite tunes comprise the quartet’s forthcoming EP Answer Slow, set for unveiling in Spring 2024. But it could also be something a bit more pure: A return to the sensation of hearing something truly great, the feeling we once had when we first heard the seminal bands and records that shaped us into the people we became.
Vinyl Station, with its arena-ready, cerebral indie rock that harkens back to the songwriting ambition and grandeur of the likes of U2, Coldplay, The National, Band of Horses, and other luminaries, is ready to take that next step into our hearts and playlists. That “Here Comes Your Ghost” leads the band’s reemergence, complete with a fresh and polished re-recording by its newly-minted lineup β songwriter, singer and guitarist Matthew Thornton; drummer Roy Cameron; guitarist Sturgis Waters; and bassist Patrick Andrew β is a bit of a coincidence, given its title. But it’s no less impactful as a result.
“I am really excited about sharing these songs with the world, and putting something out which represents the band in its current form,” says singer, songwriter, and guitarist Matthew Thornton. “These are the first recordings with the current members of Vinyl Station, and I think the recording of the Answer Slow EP and the album to follow has been an incredibly rewarding creative endeavor.” Adds Cameron: “I think the EP turned out great despite us having to piece the recording together over several months due to scheduling conflicts. In this regard, the recording process was different than usual for a creative band but not uncommon these days.”
On the magnetic “Here Comes Your Ghost,” a rich, melodic dive into loss and longing, Vinyl Station flex their creative songwriting muscle. Andrew’s propulsive bassline and Cameron’s warpath drums set an immediate tone as the song unfurls, while Waters’ shimmering guitars hover overhead like the titular wraith. Thornton’s yearning vocals carry a crystalline spark with a weathered caution just under the surface, the sound of a man unsure of his surroundings but still steadfast in approach.
“When I write It’s kind of a channeling thing,” Thornton admits. “I try to hear the songs, and then play them as best I can. But it feels like they already exist without me. I don’t invent them, I just discover them.”
Thornton is the first to admit that his compositions are open to interpretation, and is reluctant in conveying his message outside the parameters of his songs. But with songs like “Here Comes Your Ghost,” and the series of singles to follow each month from the start of 2024 until the April release of the EP, it’s easy to allow the music to do the talking.
CREDITS
Music & Lyrics by Matthew Thornton
Produced by Vinyl Station
Recorded in The Parlor by Sturgis Waters
Mixed by Matthew Naegle
ARTIST QUOTE
“When I write It’s kind of a channeling thing. I try to hear the songs, and then play them as best I can. But it feels like they already exist without me. I don’t invent them, I just discover them.” ~Matthew Thornton.
Vinyl Station
[Single]
(H1 Massive)
Release Date: December 8, 2023