We are pleased to announce the first single from Elizabeth McBride, Weightless. Listen below and share with a friend! Follow her on Instagram here and 11aRecords as well. It’s a disarming track full of themes of overcoming heartbreak.
Benjamin Lazar Davis' New Album is out now!
Benjamin Lazar Davis’ new album is here:
Go listen now! Thanks if you came out to the how last night, it was an amazing time.
Will Graefe's New Single Black Swan
Will’s sound in his latest single is both soothing and heavy. Rich, sonorous bass in the recording leave a foreboding feel before the lush vocals kick in on Black Swan. Listen now below and at all major streaming platforms.
Brooklyn Show
Nov. 18, you’ve got a chance to see Bridget Kearney, Benjamin Lazar Davis and Will Graefe at the Sultan Room in Brooklyn. Get your ticket here.
Benjamin Lazar Davis - Snow Angels - New Single Dropped Today - Live Dates Below
A little bit of press from Backseat Mafia for Benjamin’s newest single available to listen to now on all major streaming platforms! Press play above.
“MY THOUGH, he’s quite the singular talent, Benjamin Lazar Davis, isn’t he?
The multi-instrumentalist and composer (look, these tunes are so much more than plain written), whose day job sees him locking down the tunes with Okkervil River and Cuddle Magic, besides working with Lip Talk, Joan as Police Woman, &c &c, is to release only his second full-length collection of future indie, self-titled, in a fortnight.
It’s been a long time in the simmering, getting the flavours just right; a first taster, “What If I?” arrived as far back as last December – elephantine in gestation terms. It was the blue-eyed modern R’n’B of February’s “I Bet You’re Fucking” that really got tongues wagging, with its brilliantly expletive, bruised hook. Easily the most occurrences of the F-bomb in a song since Super Furries’ “The Man Don’t Give A Fuck”, and just as insouciant and captivating.
His latest single is poised at the intersection where Sufjan meets the cutting surface of future R’nB. It’s got the lines of the future we’re eternally promised – you know, crisp white linen and cuboid furniture, maybe jetpacks.
Ben explains the song’s genesis thus: “‘Snow Angels’ started off as a riff Will Graefe was playing during a break on a session I was producing for another artist, and I started to sing over it.
“Later when Will and Sarah (Lip Talk) were working on lyrics together, we started singing about someone moving to LA, and the other person not being able to follow them out there. This was before I actually started to split my time between NYC and LA.
“In the end I did follow my relationship out here. It features me on my parents’ Steinway upright with duct tape on the strings under the hammers, Lars Horntveth on reeds synths and pic bass, and Luke Moellman on pump organ and mixing!”
Yep, Ben can call on names such as the Jaga Jazzist founder to kinda pop by and help out.
It’s all about the creation for Ben, the pieces slotting together at exactly the right time, in the right way – a process which an artist of any stripe will know too well.
“In order to write, I have to trust the process, in part because the process is always all over the place,” he explains.
“It’s like those plastic marble tube mazes you made as a kid. You get everything set up, you know which instruments are in the studio, you know who’s there to help, and all those restrictions. Then you drop the marble in. You don’t know which route it’ll take, but you know that it’ll be cool when you see it on the other side.”
And it’s the other side of now where we’re very much headed on this record; Ben takes inspiration from musics as abstruse and discrete as the charts, folk rock, experimental music, indie; Frank Ocean was reportedly a big inspiration for this album, which you can really hear in that soulful vocal and stripped back arrangement.
His core band on this outing are Lake Street Dive bassist Bridget Kearney, Rubblebucket bandleader Alex Toth, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros pianist Mitchell Yoshida.
“I wanted to make a record that didn’t have a lot of drums, so I sent a list of songs that really captured that well, like ‘White Ferrari’ by Frank Ocean, ‘Death with Dignity’ by Sufjan Stevens, ‘Twice’ by Little Dragon, ‘Everything Means Nothing to Me’ by Elliott Smith,” he says.
“I’m really interested in melodies, especially how they can direct the rhythm of a song. I wanted to play around with that here, and I think they understood that really well.”
Pure future pop? Step right this way, please.
If you’re Stateside you can catch Ben at a clutch of dates in support of the album in a duo situation with Bridget Kearney; those dates are:
Thursday, November, 18, Brooklyn, New York, The Sultan Room;
Saturday, November 20th, Upper Jay, New York, Upper Jay Art Center & Recovery Lounge;
Sunday, November 21st, Portland, Maine, Portland House of Music and Events (HOME), and
Friday, December 10th, Hollywood, California, Hotel Cafe, with fellow 11A artist Will Greafe.”
Elizabeth McBride's First Single, Weightless, Drops Nov. 19th!
If you haven’t already signed up for the 11a Records Email List, get to it! We’ll let you know about upcoming records and even give you a coupon or do a give-away every once in a while. That’s it, no spammy BS. The stuff that’s in those e-mails is stuff like this, Elizabeth McBride’s first single is coming out on Nov. 19th and we are very excited to share it with you! Go check out her socials:
Co-Producers
Benjamin Lazar Davis (Joan as Policewoman, Maya Hawke, Okkervil River)
Luke Moellman (Great Good Fine Ok)
Influences
Andy Shauf, Becca Stevens, Jenny Lewis, Neko Case, Radiohead, Rufus Wainwright, Wilco
New Artist: Elizabeth McBride - Record Release Date Announced Soon!
SCENIC, Elizabeth McBride's debut album, sounds triumphant–like staring down the barrel at hurt or pummeling fear to the ground. Originally from Edwardsville, IL, she studied music at Loyola University New Orleans, then moved to New York City where she wrote this album.
What began as teenage diary entries evolved into original songs on a $40 guitar her mom brought home from a flea market. In 2018, McBride’s mom attempted suicide and passed away months later. The loss was devastating. McBride spiraled into depression, dissociation and suicidal thoughts.
That same year, Benjamin Lazar Davis (BLD), released his debut album Nothing Matters, becoming her most listened to artist of 2018. Two years later, she texted BLD for songwriting help. He admitted that from their first call, he knew they were going to make an album together.
Ambitiously executed is a rare spectrum of sounds: A baroque fugue of woodwinds and ocean waves, Sabbath-style guitar greeting gritty guitar solos, shimmering flute and harp runs, zany Mellotron and Moog synths, birds singing to warmly paired banjo and nylon string guitar, live drums striding aside voluptuous bass clarinet, and pump organ with auto-tuned vocals.
This album of sync-worthy anthems, confessions of love and step-away-from-the-edge self-talks illustrates an unmercifully emotional landscape. These are inventions of healing for overcoming hardship, creating healthy relationships, and finding serenity in self love. There is intention to instill confidence in those who are suffering by illuminating their potential. Here’s empathy. Here’s a key to find meaning; to thrive. It’s not about being sad and lost, but happy and found.
Keep an eye open for Elizabeth’s upcoming release and videos right here.
11 Questions with 11a Founder Craig
I asked my buddy Craig Lewiston, creator of 11a Records to take some time out of his day and answer a few questions about life and the label he runs. Currently he is living in Santa Cruz and working in tech, and he spends his downtime surfing some of the most famous breaks in the world right in his own city. Craig has a small dog named Alfie, which we will cover later and always has a couple projects going at once.
What was the first CD you bought and how old were you?
The Cure - Wish (1992). I think I was 13
Kan"ye" or Kan"not for me?"
more like Kan"ye Crazy", or just Kan"ye Maybe"?
I know you're into surfing, what do you listen to before surfing?
I'm a huge house music fan, so usually a recent track I've found or have been dropping in sets. Stuff like Jesse Bru, Demuja, Mike Dunn.
What was the first record you released on 11a Records and when was it released?
Benjamin Lazar Davis - Nothing Matters. May 2018.
Can you provide a picture of your dog? It's not really a question but I feel it's important.
Why is music important?
I grew up in a music family - my dad was a professional big band jazz musician, trumpet, so music has always been important to me, and a central part of my life. That's for me, in terms of why music is important for everyone? Music serves as the sonic backdrop to the lives we live and that thoughts we inhabit. It's integral, inescapable to the human experience. I know because I can't seem to ever shut it off, no matter how hard I try.
What makes a recording special?
Great song, and then a true expression of that song. Everything else is just noise.
Toaster Strudel or Pop Tarts?
PopTarts
Why did you start 11a Records?
Short answer is music has always been in my life, so this happened naturally from a previous digital platform tech project I had started. Having grown up in music my entire life, I've always had a sense for working with artists and getting shows produced. As I ventured further into the industry, I realized that this was a way that I could support artists and contribute to the community. It also grew out of relationships in my life from my time living in Boston in grad school.
Brooklyn or Santa Cruz, who has the better food?
Brooklyn, of course, but there's not as many waves there.
What's the near future of the record label?
This Fall we're releasing BLD's 2nd solo album (november), releasing WIll Graefe's Marine Life vinyl, and will be introducing a new artist, Elizabeth McBride, to the 11A roster. Beyond that, we're focusing on increasing our social media presence and growing the label with the incredible catalogue of music we're released so far. I'm always looking for singular, distinctive artists to work with, but also looking to grow the brand with the current assets we have. I'm really excited about the next 5 years of growth for the company.
Will Graefe and Benjamin Lazar Davis play Sultan Room in Brooklyn 11/18
Three great friends backing each other up singing 2 sets of songs off their recently released records. It will act as a release party for the Verve Forecast release by Bridget Kearney and Benjamin Lazar Davis “Still Flying”, the 11A and Reveal Records release by Benjamin Lazar Davis self-titled follow up to “Nothing Matters” and Will Graefe’s 11A release “Marine Life”. Many of the songs on all three of these records were written and recorded together and will be performed live for the first time!
Get your tickets here. and sign up for our email list at the bottom of every page for future news.
This Star Rover video from 2018 is still super weird and good.
Check it out and go support the artists by purchasing vinyl!
Ryan Dugre plays Iris Tide live in studio at Birdwatcher Sessions
Here is a little chill guitar work for your day. Check out Ryan’s records in our store!
Benjamin Lazar Davis - Remember
Watch video and listen to the new single from Benjamin Lazar Davis - Remember
Remember is an old song written in London after a failed attempt to connect with a crush that had always had a boyfriend but had become single, with lyrical tweaks by Sarah K. Pedinotti (Lip Talk). The song foreshadowed my life on both coasts of the USA. It was recorded in my parents' house with Lars Horntveth on the minimalist reeds and Luke Moellman on their old Steinway upright piano. Joan As Police Woman sings some crazy effected vocals in the last verse! The video was the first video I directed/edited and features Sarah and her cousin representing the past and present and their similarities and differences.
See Elizabeth McBride Live
If you’re in NOLA check out Elizabeth McBride who has a record upcoming on 11a Records. Keep an eye on this space and sign up for our email list to find out more about her future recordings.
Benjamin Lazar Davis - I Bet You're Fucking
Check out the video for BJD, I Bet You’re Fucking.
Written by Benjamin Lazar Davis, Bridget Kearney and Jeremy Mcdonald Benjamin Lazar Davis: Vox, Guitar, Keys, Drums Lars Horntveth: lap steel, Reeds, Keys Luke Moellman: Keys/Mix/Master Produced by Benjamin Lazar Davis, Lars Horntveth and Luke Moellman Jonathan Marcus: Video Producer, DP Benjamin Lazar Davis as Stunt Devil Scooter Man Stephanie Sanditz as Ex-Girlfriend Jonnie La Vallee as New-Boyfriend Video Directed and Edited by Benjamin Lazar Davis
Dezi 5 - Lady Video
Don’t sleep on Dezi 5. Check out the official video for Lady here. The Dallas-born and Brooklyn-based eclectic soul artist dropped the track back in December 2019, but here’s the video.
The classic R&B track was recorded at Modern Electric Sound in Dallas with the vision to highlight his vocal range amongst analog sounds. It is inspired by his late grandmother, the owner of Deep Ellum’s 40-plus year running soul food restaurant Vern’s Place.
Check it out on Spotify too and don’t forget to sign up for our Email list.
Golden Dawn Arkestra Vinyl
Golden Dawn Arkestra is a critically lauded collective of musicians and dancers who summon deep grooves and cinematic textures through the use of horns, percussion, synths, vibes, and theremin. Their sound (afro-rock/psych/disco) and their sensational live performances (shimmering garments, intricately designed headdresses, burning sage) have won fans at NPR, NME, Kickstarter, Mashable, PopMatters, Clash, The Line of Best Fit, and more.
On October 11, Golden Dawn Arkestra will release their third full length album—Darkness Falls on the Edge of Time—via 11A Records. As always, Golden Dawn Arkestra continue their meditation on the eternal now, but Darkness Falls on the Edge of Time sees the band delving deeper into poetry and lyrical content, bringing forth a new confidence and clarity to their message: as you travel to the edge of time, let the sonic vibrations heal your soul. "On this album, I wanted to talk about how this could be the end for human beings if we don't get our shit together," bandleader Zapot Mgawi tells PopMatters. "But we speak just as much about how music will save you, and about how transcending time and becoming one with 'the now' releases you to a higher consciousness."
The lead single (and video), "Allo Allo Boom," was inspired by a French PSA encouraging drivers to stay off of their cell phones; "Yeah, we're all distracted on our phones while the world's ending," Mgawi says. The second single, "Mama Se," speaks to the idea of music as a healing force—drawing heavily from the band's afro-rock influences, such as Colomach and Witch. The third, "Darkness Falls," which premiered at Psychedelic Baby Magazine, was born from a backyard shack jam. It is the most afro-beat song on the band's upcoming album, drawing heavy influences from late 60s jazz stylings as well. Bandleader Zapot Mgawi says the song "speaks to the dire times we are living through."
The latest single, "Hamza," is an homage to Hamza El Din, the North African oud player. Hamza had a strong influence on bandleader Zapot Mgawi's musical upbringing; his stepfather played oud and actually studied with him. In the song, premiering today at Glide Magazine along with a Q+A, Hamza is tempted by earthly pleasures and desires but continues to dedicate his life to the craft of music. He transcends these temptations by floating on the edge of ecstasy.
Introducing: Star Rover
Go and grab Star Rover vinyl in our store right now!
Star Rover is Will Graefe and Jeremy Gustin -- a duo that makes ambitious, dense post-rock with a commitment to melody and dynamics. Though a rhythmically aggressive and near telepathic improvisational rapport is at the core of their sound, occasional unison and harmonized vocals are interwoven into the songs; imagine if Brian Wilson produced a Lightning Bolt record. The band's debut album -- I May be Lost But I'm Laughing -- is out now on 11A Records.
Star Rover's songs conjure imaginary landscapes, textures, climates, and emotions, often alternating between delicate interwoven polyrhythms and hurtling walls of sound. Album opener and lead single "Byron Bay" is bright, beaming, and hypnotic, pulsating forward in a circular, perpetual motion--like beach waves. It was inspired by a visit to Byron Bay in New South Wales, where Gustin noticed a solitary woman lying on the beach: "So close / The waves almost touching her toes / She knows." The track was completed in Brooklyn at Figure 8 Recording with Sam Griffin Owens (Sam Evian), who performed synth on the song as well. The Line of Best Fit had the premiere, and the band performed the song as a ThrdCoast Blue Room Session.
Gustin name checks Aphex Twin and Tortoise as influences, specifically on tracks like "Snow Moving," which he wrote after running around NYC in a blizzard, as well as "Inclined For Wren," which speaks to social media over-saturation. Gustin says, "It's fun to come up with these ideas as a non-guitar player, and to see [Will] try to figure them out." "Inclined For Wren" and "Red Skies" both feature original arrangements by visionary violinist and violist Rob Moose (of yMusic).
"Peppermint Olive" -- the song on the album with the most vocals -- features Mikey Freedom Hart (of Ex Reyes, Blood Orange) on keys and Sarah K. Pedinotti (of Lip Talk) on background vocals. Both artists also appear on "Up Up," which was recorded at Alligator Lady Studio in Greenpoint with Cedar Apffel. "Up Up" is the only song on the album with a guitar solo.
"And Then I Remembered" was written by Graefe during a stay in Lisbon. The track features a vocalist named Dr. Stuff, who discovered the duo through Instagram back in 2016. After a year of messaging back and forth, Star Rover invited Dr. Stuff to add his vocals to the finished track, and upon completion he disappeared from Instagram and email and was never heard from again. The entire saga of Dr. Stuff can be explored here. The video for the song follows a unique kind of couple (played by Holly and Jonathan of BREAKTIME) who come together and fall apart as they raise a "child" together. Director Julia Barrett-Mitchell calls it, "A story about partnership, about loss, and about healing."
The album also features a cover by free-jazz legend Sonny Sharrock. "We decided to record 'Blind Willie' as a tribute to him, but it's also representative of what we do live. His original recording is a masterpiece of American music and it has a spirit we'd like to communicate in our music."
Introducing Benjamin Lazar Davis
Go buy Benjamin Lazar Davis vinyl in our store now!
Benjamin Lazar Davis is a gifted multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and producer based in Brooklyn.
His debut full length album Nothing Matters — his first release as a solo artist — came out of an extensive period of touring followed by a difficult break up. To make the record, Davis spent all all of his money on instruments and recording gear, including drums and drum machines, both nylon and steel string acoustic guitars, an electric and an upright bass, a pump organ, a mellotron, a Moog, and an upright piano. He worked on the record every day, for 30 straight days, in his childhood bedroom at his parents’ house in Saratoga Springs, and once finished, he mixed it back in Brooklyn with his high school friend Luke Moellman (GGFO).
Although there are no other performers on the record, many collaborations went into the writing of the album, including cowrites with Kimbra ("Right Direction"), Alex Toth of Rubblebucket and Alexander F ("Love Song Seven Ways," "Life Is Dangerous," and "Choosing Sides"), Bridget Kearney of Lake Street Dive ("Somebody's Speaking For Me"), singer-songwriter Taylor Ashton ("Brass Tacks"), award-winning poet Michael Gizzi ("Acquitted"), and his brother, a brilliant lyricist, Tim Davis.
Benjamin Lazar Davis writes, records, and performs with Cuddle Magic, Joan as Police Woman, and Okkervil River, and he has worked with Anais Mitchell, Kimbra, Luke Temple, Jesse Harris, Henry Jamison, Wild Belle, Delicate Steve, Star Rover, Sam Amidon, Markus Acher (the Notwist), and Margaret Glaspy as a co-writer, side-musician, arranger, producer, studio musician, touring member, and band member in the past. While 'Nothing Matters' grew out of Davis's desire to make music on his own in a life where he has been a chronic collaborator, the album evokes inspiration from all of these artists, and he considers it a culmination of his life's work.
As he began work on the album, Davis found a photo of his father lounging beneath a hand- written sign that read "Nothing Matters," which eventually became the album's artwork; "It was taken in 1969 in Malawi Africa where he lived at the time. He taught me music growing up, and I think seeing that picture right before recording the record gave me a sense of letting go of all of the baggage that comes with making music and being in a relationship. When in the midst of the meditation of making the album, nothing matters. Just let the tape roll and the ideas flow..."
"In the hands of a boundless creative, a childhood bedroom can house a universe of emotion, and you can fit a symphony of imagination into a Ford E350," writes Talia Schlanger for NPR. "He plays instruments in a way that makes them feel less like strings and wood and wires, and more like stop-motion scenes witnessed through the rearview mirror of life's highway." Nothing Matters is out now on 11A Records.