Cold Chocolate—the genre-bending Americana band that fuses folk, funk and bluegrass to create a unique sound all their own—will release Down The Line, their third full-length album on June 26. Led by Ethan Robbins (vocals/guitar) and Ariel Bernstein (percussion), the Boston-based group bring more electric instrumentation to their new eight-song collection than what their fans are accustomed to.
Punctuated by tight harmonies and skillful musicianship, Cold Chocolate has quickly gained recognition for their original music and high-energy shows. The band has shared bills with Leftover Salmon, David Grisman, and Angelique Kidjo, and regularly performs at venues and music festivals up and down the East Coast.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the album’s lead single and title track. Opening with a smooth and soulful organ and maintaining a laid back groove punctuated by slinky guitar playing, the song is a feel-good meditation on “learning from your mistakes and using past failures in order to bolster future successes,” according to the band. This relatable concept of the past informing the future is easy to grasp both for the listener and the band. Blending Americana, jammy West Coast rock and roll and even the loose, flowing spirit of jazz, the song captures the band’s talent for writing poignant and catchy songs while bottling up their creative live energy in a studio recording.
Ethan Robbins shares his thoughts on the process behind the song:
“‘Down the Line,’ believe it or not, actually started as a lullaby melody that I’d sing to my baby daughter shortly after she was born. When I brought the song to Ariel, he immediately heard a bass line in there. He picked up his roommate’s electric bass and began playing a super funky line. I switched from acoustic to electric guitar and the energy level immediately shot way up. We quickly realized that this song was all about the energy, and we hope that bouncy, playful vibe comes across.”
LISTEN:
