After a summer tour in 2017 with Looms, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sharif Mekawy came home to the end of a relationship. This heartbreak led to a month wherein he confined himself to a month of writing music on his roof.
Now, that time has gone on to inform Looms’ third full-length, The Way Up, out May 3rd via Good Eye Records. Joined by Harry Morris Jr. (guitar), Andy Murray (bass) and Harry Louis Cozza (drums), the ten-song album grapples with the life-consuming churn of lost love, “what ifs?” and rose-colored memories that warp over time.
Featuring a guest performance from guitar legend Nels Cline, “Eclipse” sparks to life as Looms establish a lush instrumental bedrock. Although vibrant in its full band form, The Way Up’s lead single goes back to Mekawy’s lonely time up on that roof as an eclipse began, forcing himself to stay up there until the song was completed.
Such is the push and pull at the heart of The Way Up; a heart-rending, expansively and beautifully realized full band effort born from a brutal, solitary reconciliation. Listeners who have loved and lost will find a friend in Loom’s latest effort, no matter where one is in their journey.
Today Glide is excited to premiere “From A Roof”, an aptly titled song that was clearly inspired by Sharif Mekawy’s experience writing songs for this album on his roof. The song begins with only acoustic guitar before the band comes in with a dreamy indie rock sound and lo-fi, easygoing vocals. Musically, it is reminiscent of acts like Real Estate, Luna and and Yo La Tengo as the band stretches out their guitar playing for a mellow vibe that complements the vocals. This is thinkingman’s rock and far more deeper than it might sound on first listen.
“Half this record ended up being written from the roof of my apartment. A lot came out all at once, and it wasn’t ’til after the song was recorded, that I realized it was actually my own motivation to not kill myself,” says Sharif Mekawy.
LISTEN:
Looms will celebrate the release of The Way Up with a record release show at C’mon Everybody in Brooklyn, NY on May 3rd. Pre-order here: smarturl.it/the-way-up
Photo credit: Liz Maney
