Interview: Evening Darling Details Their Debut LP + Premieres “Passenger Side”

Road trips with no set destinations, wild romances predicated on adventure, striking up a conversation with the only other person in the bar. These jumping off points and more illuminate the mind when picturing the narratives spun by NYC-based group Evening Darling.

On their self-titled debut album, set for release later this Spring, the band’s original core of Erica Lane (lead vocals), Nick Lerangis (guitars, vox), Dan Burke (drums) and Dave Letchinger (keyboard) added Ryan “Rusty” Loftus (guitars) and Brett Saxon (bass) to round out their rich, warm sound. Blending different aspects of Americana, Folk and Alt-Rock, Evening Darling is able crafts golden hued sonic tapestries further illuminated by brilliant harmonies.

Today, GroundSounds is happy to premiere Evening Darling‘s lead single, “Passenger Side.” To go along with the stream, we sent the band some interview questions to get some more insight on where they’re at.

Stream “Passenger Side” and be sure to follow Evening Darling here for more.

Hi Evening Darling! Since this is your first time on GroundSounds, could you tell our readers a little more about you initially came together?

Hi Groundsounds! We came together with a Craigslist ad! Erica (vocals) arrived in NYC from Wilmington, NC, and posted an ad for her first band, and Dan (drums) answered. Then the whirlpool of the NYC music scene happened. Erica and Dan were introduced to Dave (keys) and Nick (guitar) via former band members, and then we opened for Brett’s solo act, who then joined on bass. Rusty (guitar) produced Erica and Dan’s first band’s EP, and joined Evening Darling officially in 2015.

You took the name Evening Darling from some graffiti you saw, but haven’t been able to locate it since? What’s the deal with that?

Drive down 15th street and look for yourself. If you find it, call us!

You’re about to release your debut album. What are some of the larger themes at play on the record?

Dime-store glamor. Guilt. Small town people with big dreams who end up back where they started. Some people retain an incredible grace even if they might consider themselves failures.

You’ve had “Passenger Side” as a part of your live set for a little while now. Has the song changed at all from the version we’re featuring today?

Oh, so, so much. In a former life it was a barroom shuffle with banjo, acoustic guitar, and a stomping folk/jazz feel. There’s a hidden recording of it, but you’ll need to talk to our lawyer if you want it. (That’s literally true)

Tell us a little more on what “Passenger Side” is about and how it came to be.

It’s about someone who’s always willing to be a sidekick or ride
shotgun, who realizes that they’ve been hanging around as a passenger for too long and they’re finally ready take the wheel.

Who would you cite as chief influences? Musically and otherwise.

Musically: Fleetwood Mac’s harmonies, Delta Spirit’s drive, The
Pretenders’ guitar sound with Chrissie Hynde’s stage persona, Neko Case’s lyrical imagery, and The National’s instrumentation. Otherwise: Bob Ducca’s lists, cinematographer Frank Loftus. Midnight Special. Erica keeps insisting that we have to s ee What We Do In The Shadows. For the record, Dave has seen it.

Any new bands, food spots, cultural institutions you could turn us onto in NYC?

We’re loving music from YOKE LORE, Brett Saxon, and Bell the band. We love beers at Mission Dolores in Brooklyn and An Beal Bocht in the Bronx, falafel from the Shawarma King in a storefront labeled #YEAAAHHHHBABY (not a joke), tacos from Los Portales on Broadway. We getour knitting gear from Brooklyn Craft Company (Erica is almost done knitting her second Pussy Hat for the Women’s March) and love to walk in Socrates Sculpture Garden. Brooklyn Museum forever.

You’ve been all up and down the East coast on tour. Any favorite places to play?

We’ve played The Camel in Richmond a couple times and we love
them. The Woodward Theater in Cincinnati was awe-inspiring. The Light Club Lamp Shop in Burlington was unique and we loved it. There were actual vintage lamps for sale all around us as we played our set, and there was an impromptu John Prine singalong. Shoutout to the staff at The Haunt in Ithaca, NY, for taking amazing care of us!

Any tour plans for 2017?

We’re hitting the road in April for a week or so, hoping to play up
and down the northeast, and then we’ll be booking a southeastern tour around an August 5th set at Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA, where we’re really psyched to be playing.

Where/how can our readers follow you?

a) Yay!
b) Facebook
c) Twitter
d) Instagram
e) Website
f) Dan’s AIM screenname from 1999: bluesdrummer27