Where do we turn when we run ourselves ragged? When hope disappears? When we can’t escape the hell of our own making? The Joeys are here to remind us that the desert is always there. Their newest EP, The Desert Waits for Me, offers a kaleidoscopic view of the mystery and magic of the Grand Canyon State.
Hailing from Phoenix, The Joeys are a three-piece band that includes a wide variety of rock and roll flavors in their sonic dishes. From surf to punk with a little bit of twang, there’s no telling where each song will lead this band next. Founded in 2018, the band consists of Dean Cheney on lead guitar and vocals, Logan Cormany on bass and vocals, and Hayden “Habbles” Lamm on the drums.
Today Glide is offering an exclusive premiere of The Desert Waits for Me, a masterclass in genre-bending songwriting, ahead of its official release date on May 5th. The titular opening song features trumpet from Greg Varlotta and sounds like the theme song to some long-forgotten Western. The Joeys have a knack for writing cinematic songs – the kind that conjure up mental images of outlaws riding off into a desolate wilderness. The second song, “Throw You Away,” features amazing keyboard contributions from Benjamin Cortez. It’s a bar song – one to help manage the pain of heartbreak. From its swinging beat to the heartfelt vocals from Cheney, this song is a standout on the EP. “Sailin’” shows the band flexing their musical prowess. With its surfy strums and harmonies, this song is the carefree, lighthearted number in this collection. Closer “The Ballad of Crazy Harry and the Getaway Queen” rocks supremely. Big riffs and crashing cymbals play us out to return to our lives – forever changed by The Joeys.
There are few bands that could cover this range of sounds and do it well. The Joeys have clearly spent time sharpening their chops and playing with their sound to encompass all of these dynamic and stylistic changes. The Desert Waits for Me is a celebration of a great band making great songs – what more could you want?
Listen to the EP and read our exclusive interview below…
What was it like working with producer Otto D’Angelo? How did Otto help the band shape the songs into these final versions on the EP?
Working with Otto was such a pleasure. His studio has such a great and welcoming vibe, and his vast experience with recording was so cool to watch. He’s also very encouraging and always gets the best performances out of everyone. In the end, we mixed the EP together, wanting to find a mix between his style and our reverby live sound.
How did these four songs end up on the EP? Were there thematic elements that connected the songs?
When we began the process of recording the new EP, we had several songs to choose from. We ended up going with our 4 newest songs because Otto and the band felt they were a better representation of where we’re headed. They all deal with love in some way, whether it’s a story of heartbreak or two outlaws bound together by their craziness. They really mean a lot to us and are a blast to play live.
How do you balance all the different sounds y’all are drawn to? How does surf and punk and twang all coalesce into something that feels so organic?
Between the three of us, there are a ton of influences that find their way into our music. Funk, surf, punk, rock n’ roll and anything in between is on the table, and it all seems to fit very nicely together. We’ve been told that nobody sounds like us and that’s always been the goal.
Any plans to tour on these songs? Where can we find you this year?
We don’t have any plans for a tour just yet, but you can find us in Colorado at the Hot Rod Rock and Rumble in August and playing around the Phoenix, AZ area all year long.
