Celebration Summer
A Little Less Numb
Available on "Pint Driver" wax (beer blob on transparent black wax with ocean blue splatter) featuring artwork from a range of independent artists
PUT THIS IN YOUR DEN for some of the best gruff yet melodic punk rock songs of the year. Combining elements of DC hardcore and orgcore punk, Celebration Summer's new EP showcases Nate Falger's singing voice and the band's driving rhythm section. And, just look at that sexy wax...
A Little Less Numb was produced and recorded by J. Robbins (Jawbox, Burning Airlines, Government Issue) at his Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore, and was mastered by Dan Coutant at Sun Room Audio to bring the band's sonic vision to life. The EP’s lead single, "Sea Shanty," was released in September.
Celebration Summer and Den of Wax tapped a range of independent artists from around the country to create the packaging and vinyl for this artistic vinyl experience. The B-side of the EP has an etching, created by Dan Emery of Black Matter Mastering in Nashville, TN, pressed into the vinyl. The etching is based on an illustration by Denver, CO-based artist Dale Novack, who also created the illustration on the insert. The cover photo is from photographer and multimedia artist Risa Friedman, who is also based in Denver. Philadelphia, PA-based designer Kate Lowe provided the album design. The vinyl itself is a beautiful blue and “beer” (tan) ode to the visual theme of the album–a nautical dive bar--pressed by Burlington Record Plant in Albany, NY.
After releasing their 2021 debut EP, Against The Gun and 2022 debut album, Patience In Presence, Celebration Summer spent the past two years crafting what became A Little Less Number. Guitarist/vocalist Nate Falger pushed himself to write more elevated song lyrics, taking a step back to thinking about themes and story-building:
“I found myself listening to country and folk music to inspire my songwriting,” Falger notes. “Artists like Benjamin Tod, John Moreland, Austin Lucas, and Ben Nichols of Lucero, have such a healthy and powerful way of assessing vulnerability and moving through trauma. I get the sense that by the end of a song/album, they each discover something new about themselves and strengthen their self-efficacy. I wanted to be vulnerable with myself but not just simply express feelings of anger or anguish. I wanted myself and listeners to come out on the other side of these songs with a sense of positivity - which is the exact inspiration for the EP title.”
That desire to stretch themselves creatively extended into the studio. Influenced by older Dischord bands such as Dag Nasty, Embrace, and Rites of Spring, along with the more gruff punk sounds of Leatherface and Hot Water Music, during the writing sessions for the record, they revisited their love of a lot of emo and post-hardcore bands like Garrison, Fairweather, and Jawbox, which led them to working with J. Robbins.
“J is a workhorse,” adds bassist Greg Raelson. “The man doesn't take breaks! Seriously one of the strongest work-ethics out there and really gives his best to every band he works with. He was instrumental in providing us really great feedback during our pre-recording get-togethers which in turn led to some subtle changes to songs that really worked well in the studio.”
The result is a more nuanced collection of songs that is yet more accessible than anything the band has done previously. Falger concludes, “I feel like I achieved my objective with these songs. I know myself better now and feel ‘a little less numb’ to the world. I hope this EP inspires others in a similar way.”