There are very few artists in the modern age that are carrying on a true renaissance. The idea of a renaissance man has taken on a new meaning thanks to the wide range of knowledge and tools readily available at our fingertips, it feels like anyone and everyone can lay claim to the title. Very few actually live up to it, musically, Johnny Iguana is a pure renaissance man. His masterful piano work can be experienced across many mediums and bands including working with some of the top blues artists in modern times and scoring hit TV shows like FX’s The Bear. Some of his most pure and potent work emerges when he teams up with drummer Michael Caskey as The Claudettes, and their newest single proves this sentiment.
Glide is premiering the new single and video for “Touch You Back” an infectious single from that band driven by bluesy keys and rounded out by the powerful vocals of Rachel Williams. With bassist and guitarist Zach Verdoorn finishing out the quartet, The Claudettes seem to be entering a new era of their career. With the addition of Williams, the band has never sounded so soulful. “Touch You Back” leaves enough room for each member to shine, Williams’ vocals cut through rolling piano melodies and complex harmonies with ease. Funky grooves sit under the shade of cascading pianos, interpolating the many tones and rich history of blues and Iguana history with the genre.
“A playful spin on the classic ‘come hither’ song,” explains Iguana on the new single. “‘Touch You Back’ finds the narrator all out of ideas. She’s already green-lighted the chance for romance, as far as she’s concerned. But he is just not picking up the signals. Subtlety seems to be lost on this guy. And so she vows to be a bit more blazing with the signals. Will he catch her drift?”
“Touch You Back” started as an idea in Iguana’s head that was quickly morphed into a demo by him and Williams. Once Verdoorn and Caskey added their sections, juxtaposing piano tones added by Iguana to give the single an almost psychedelic feeling. “Touch You Back” is the start of The Claudettes 2024 takeover with more music being promised before the end of the year. Check out “Touch You Back” below and stay tuned for more new music from the band in the coming months.
3 Responses
Fascinating and evocative. Great video for this haunting song!
Another piece of artwork here by The Claudette’s. Cool lyrics, superb musicality, and the video is a cinematic burst of sound, color and timing perfection…I love this band together as a whole and just as much individually. Well done!! Really look forward to catching one of your shows.
Loved the video! Already loved the song! See you at a show soon!