Despite its grim title, the new EP from The March Divide is actually not as heavy as it sounds and it is definitely not announcing the end of the band. Don’t Let Me Die In Arizona, which comes out on August 4th, references a trip to the state by the band’s sole permanent member Jared Putnam that found him sicker than he ever was in his life. While that may not be the more glamorous backstory behind an album title, it carries a weight that speaks directly to the power of the songs.
For this release Putnam brought in Mike Major, best known for his work with At The Drive-In and Coheed and Cambria, as a producer. As he approached the songs, Putnam found himself experimenting with percussion and seeking a balance between rock and pop. Though the EP is something of a departure, it is still brimming with clever lyrics and undeniably catchy hooks. This is especially obvious in the first single “Cherry Bomb”, which we are premiering on Glide Magazine today. With help from Mike Major, the song explodes with percussion to complement Putnam’s airy vocals. As a whole, the song is bouncy and soaring and the layered percussion and vocals create an energetic and textured morsel of pop goodness.
Explaining the inspiration behind the song and its production, Putnam has this to say:
“Lyrically, this song is about how it always seems hard to distance ourselves from those that are the worst for us. As for the origins of the song – I’ve had it for a number of years, and after talking with my producer, Mike Major, about the direction of this EP, I knew it fit the mold. We wanted these songs to feel like they were built around the percussion. This approach is something I’ve been working on, so for the pre-production of this EP, I made some quick demos that Mike programmed the percussion to. ‘Cherry Bomb’ was the first song he sent back to me, and I remember thinking, ‘Holy shit, he did it!'”
LISTEN:
You can pre-order the album HERE.
Photo: John Glover
