Way back in the early '00s, the Athens, Georgia musician Andy LeMaster's lush, textured indie rock project became the first out-of-town act to sign with the Omaha indie juggernaut Saddle Creek. LeMaster was a Bright Eyes collaborator before Now It's Overhead released their 2001 self-titled debut, and his band became a key player in Saddle Creek's golden era, alongside Bright Eyes, the Faint, Cursive, and fellow non-Omaha band Rilo Kiley. LeMaster's band went inactive soon after the release of their third album, 2006's Dark Light Daybreak. Now, they're coming back.
Even before Now It's Overhead, Andy LeMaster produced, engineered, and played on Bright Eyes records. In the time since Now It's Overhead ended, LeMaster has worked on music from frequent collaborators like Bright Eyes, Michael Stipe, and Azure Ray. Today, Andy LeMaster announces the first-ever vinyl releases of Now It's Overhead's three albums, as well as a new five-song digital EP called In The Beginning. They've only got one show lined up right now, and it goes down Oct. 10 at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, with Lona opening.
The In The Beginning EP will include the band's first new songs since 2006. One of them is "eleven-seven-thirty-five," which dates back to 2001, and another is "sigh let go," which LeMaster wrote specifically for the EP. Now It's Overhead will also play their first live show since 2007 this fall.
Today, LeMaster shares "eleven-seven-thirty-five," the kind of song that can really sweep you back to a different time in indie rock. Here's what LeMaster says about the song in a press release:
"eleven-seven-thirty-five" was written and recorded in the same time period as the songs that became the first now it’s overhead album. it was an earlier song among that bunch. it almost made the record, and i’m nearly certain we played it live at the first few now it’s overhead shows. i rediscovered it recently while transferring some old reels of tape and i had forgotten how fully formed it is as a song and a recording.
hearing it now, the lyrics encapsulate the charged curiosity of that time period; the sense of possibility and wonder; the excitement of uncertainty. there’s a thread of longing in the lyrics to find love and connection while still early on my journey of self-discovery as a queer person. the imagery of being on the road was directly informed by a lot of bright eyes van tours around that time.
for the recording, clay played the drums and i did the rest. i was particularly pleased with how the oddly transitioning lush but trippy bridge turned out. this was before we had pro tools, so i remember the pain and delight of manually syncing up the tape machine to the ensoniq sampler to blend, bend, and manipulate the various vocal samples.
coming across it recently, i'm surprised i left it off of the first record, and i'm stoked to release it now.
Check it out below.
The In The Beginning EP and the vinyl reissues of Now It's Overhead's albums are out 9/18 on Saddle Creek. Pre-order them here.
