[tweetmeme] [fbshare type=”button”] Antigone Rising, the all female rock band known for relentless grass roots touring, is currently working on their latest studio CD, 23 Red (Blackheart Records/August 2, 2011).
Recording songs the band wrote together since Nini Camps joined the fold in 2009, 23 Red promises to showcase the signature 3-part vocal harmonies Antigone Rising fans are familiar with. “We were methodic in how we chose the songs for this upcoming studio effort,” Kristen Henderson, founding member and bass player for the band, commented. “This CD isn’t about indulging ourselves, for lack of a better expression. These songs all come from the heart, but if the hook didn’t knock us off our feet, it didn’t make the final cut.”
“We focussed on melody. We focussed on arrangements. We wanted this group of songs to stick in peoples brains, and we’re saving the experimental moments for the live show,” Lead singer, Nini Camps, added.
Guaranteed to make the final track listing are songs previously released on the band’s 2010 Live From NYC EP – Borrowed Time and Everywhere is Home. “The first time I heard Everywhere is Home, I knew Nini had to either join the band or become my permanent silent writing partner.” Kristen joked via phone from her home on Long Island.
“Kristen and I have known each other for a long time”, Camps added, “but it’s within the past few years that our paths have really come together. We are leading fairly similar lives, as brand new moms who make a living making music. It’s been a great fit not just creatively, but logistically as well. Now, when we sit down to write a song, we pretend we’re writing love songs when they’re really about the babies.” Nini laughs.
Borrowed Time, a hands down fan favorite of the “new” Antigone, as many fans refer to the band now, was inspired by Nini’s and Kristen’s journey into parenthood. “When we wrote that song,” Kristen stated, “I said to Nini let’s imagine we had one more night to give the babies the best advice we ever could. We both went right into that place and the song was written.”
What fans can also look forward to with this CD is a much more collaborative effort between all the members of the band. “When it came time for song selection, I wanted to be sure we included a few 3-and-a-half-minute, knock-you-over-the-head, no-brainers,” Dena Tauriello, longtime drummer for the band, quipped. “I was so relieved to know Kristen, Cathy and Nini were in that mindset as well. There were a few songs on our list that I knew I’d fall on a sword for, and luckily everyone agreed!” Dena added, with a sigh of relief.
“I’m excited about this group of songs, and especially glad I was able to participate in the writing process more than I have on albums past,” Cathy Henderson, lead guitarist and founding member, stated. One Foot Out the Door, an upbeat, foot stomping alt-country song she co-wrote with Camps will be featured on 23 Red. “We’re just excited to get back out on the road and showcase these songs for the fans. This is a much happier band than it was a few years back,” Cathy added. “I know these songs reflect that.”
