SONG PREMIERE: Wax Charmer Revel in 90s Rock Nostalgia with Groovy Single “Downstairs”

Wax Charmer is a series of contradictions, a rock band whose members wield widely contrasting tastes and musical styles. Their diverse collection of influences ultimately makes its members more informed and nuanced musicians.

The Los Angeles-based band consists of three of the original members of Jubilo Drive, a band who’s diverse collection of influences ultimately made its members more informed and nuanced musicians with a blend of sonic perspectives that culminated in a brand of rock music that was truly organic. Now, three fourths of its members are have regrouped and rebranded for a new rock group full of 80s vibes and bossa nova inspiration that finds that same approach still in play.

While Wax Charmer is about as fresh of a band as can be, they are starting to drop tracks that shed light on what they are all about and also stir up excitement for what we can expect in the future. One of those new tracks is the single “Downstairs”, which we are premiering today on Glide. Dreamy and funky, the song immediately hits you with a 70s Steely Dan vibe that is further heightened with the opening verses of lead vocalist J.H. Kleinman. Interestingly, the band was perhaps more focused on inspiration from another decade: the 90s. Indeed, the song quickly explodes into a robust rocker that feels equal parts grunge, pop, and left-of-the-dial alternative. Anchoring it all is a steady groove that keeps the song moving along even with intermittent guitar solos peppered in. Listening to “Downstairs”, it’s hard not to get excited about what we can expect from this rising group of young rockers.  

J.H. Kleinman describes the inspiration behind the song:

“‘Downstairs’, unlike the other songs we workshopped for release this year, came together at the last minute. We only decided to green light it a few days before we recorded drums, so the production is pretty minimalist.

There’s a lot of ’90s nostalgia running throughout this song, especially with those big distorted guitars in the chorus. We wanted to make sure that groove never lets up, that it’s constantly there to hypnotize the listener, with a little help from that simple percussive note you hear emphasized in the verses. If you listen closely, you can hear that Jacob nearly never plays a beat exactly the same.

All of the lyrical metaphors came from phrases that Jordan would write down after waking up, typically inspired by current events. Ranging from climate inaction to mass distraction, it’s a blended perspective of the times no matter.

It was the last song to make the cut and it became a quick favorite for all of us.”

LISTEN:

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