Alluvial Fans Further Tease ‘Earth To Astronaut’ with New Single “Say It’s So” [Premiere]

Earth To Astronaut… Earth To Astronaut… Can you hear us? We have a special announcement to make. Alluvial Fans are set to release their brand new studio album on June 5th and, today, are premiering the latest single “Say It’s So.” Yes, we too are excited…

Detroit group Alluvial Fans are stoked to release Earth To Astronaut, their diverse, high-energy sophomore record that is actually their first fully collaborative release that includes contributions from every band member. The album wouldn’t have been possible without the teamwork approach that the trio applied to the writing and recording process; each member made valuable contributions to the finished product. The songs that encompass Earth To Astronaut highlight the dynamic approach the guys took with them to the studio, with each song a meeting of high-velocity rock n’ roll, punk, indie, pop, and jazz. “Say It’s So” is a textbook example of this approach, a song inspired by jazz and folk that has been rearranged into a rock n’ roll formula. It’s soft but still intense and indicative of some other key tracks on the album.

When asked to comment on “Say It’s So,” lead singer Drew Bartosik drew attention to the influences of the song and its importance to the overall tone of the record. “In retrospect ‘Say It’s So’ was inspired by my affinity for jazz, Americana/folk and classical music as well as techniques I learned studying music in college. I had the idea to write something in repeated phrases, echoing Sonata form but with jazzed-out colorful chords, and that’s how the verse was born. It’s also what I call a ‘sister song’ to another song I have that is currently unreleased. The chorus came pretty naturally, and is probably the closest thing to a ballad power chorus Alluvial Fans have, with maybe the exception of the song ‘Unnoticed’ off of Earth to Astronaut. The bridge toys with two ascending sequences, one diminished and one augmented, and is therefore a direct reference to what I learned in music school.

This song was important to include on the record for me because it shows a more dynamic side of the band. I love the parts that Ollie (Elkus) and Gilad (Granot) came up with and they reaffirm why I love playing and collaborating in live bands. I feel in a comic way this song shouldn’t work, but it somehow does and I’m always psyched to play it live, which is also how we recorded it with exception of vocals and a second guitar overdub. The lyrics teeter on two themes that weave throughout the album and are still a constant struggle in my life, namely how to effectively weigh altruism against selfishness and choosing what to devote myself to. It also includes the only lyrics on the record that Ollie and I wrote together, ‘People through peepholes are moons through microscopes.’ Overall I’m super happy with how this song turned out and hope people will get something out of it.”

Earth To Astronaut is an important release for Alluvial Fans in that it demonstrates the range and the growth that the band is capable of, and also transitions them from their past into the future. They are influenced in a major way by the history and legacy of Detroit Rock City, extending all the way back to The Stooges and MC5, and following that growth through to The White Stripes, and some of the more contemporary bands that now call the city home. The album also showcases some of the band’s social influences with the creation of inclusive, music-centric environments for live concerts something that they’re trying to make reality, even if it means touring DIY locations and doing house shows

There’s a lot of goodness that drives the members of Alluvial Fans, a positivity that comes as a welcome distraction from our otherwise rather negative environments.

Facebook Live Stream Isolation Tour Virtual Tour Dates:

05/22 – Epic of Gilolliead (Ollie+Gilad collab live stream)
06/05 – Drew Acoustic Album Release (Drew Live Stream Performance)

Artwork for ‘Earth to Astronaut’ by Alluvial Fans