Posh, Poodle, Krystal and Toe is the third full-length album from Santa Cruz-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joe Kaplow. Appropriately named after his bandmates’ nicknames, this record is a more cohesive ‘band’ statement than his previous self-recorded work. Most tracks were cut over a five day span, performed live at the OK Theater in Enterprise, OR with engineer Bart Budwig. They were learned and workshopped on the spot, thus capturing very honest, energetic, and ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ moments. The record was mixed underground at Vin Christopher’s studio, Heavy Meadow in Portland, Oregon.
Posh, Poodle, Krystal and Toe takes Kaplow’s singularly unique, honest and raw songwriting style and propels it forward with spontaneous collaboration, undeniable rhythm, and sound imagery. The record will be released on May 17th on Fluff and Gravy Records.
Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the standout track “Rock and Roll” along with its video. While the name might suggest otherwise, the song is actually a mellow work indie folk that is ponderous and easygoing with a warm tone. With minimal instrumentation featuring a simple yet catchy acoustic guitar hook, a straightforward beat, and a pleasant groove, the song spotlights Kaplow’s vocals. The overall grooviness of the song fits the imagery of Kaplow walking around San Francisco with his guitar visiting rock and roll landmarks, and as a whole, the tune evokes a kind of soulful Kurt Vile.
Kaplow describes the inspiration behind the song:
“We had a bad show. Overall, it wasn’t a very good tour. After playing a show to three people in the back corner of some bar in San Diego that was decorated more appropriately for a football game than a concert, our drummer had a breakdown. On the sidewalk outside the venue he began to cry. Then his despair turned to rage, screaming at me how foolish I was for booking this show and booking the tour, how he had to take time off work and lost money, how he spent 2 weeks away from his girlfriend who was now questioning dating a musician, and how he hadn’t gotten a good night’s sleep since tour began. I thought to myself, “I know, isn’t it great?” Rock and Roll is a song about how it feels to be a touring musician before you get the tour bus. It’s hard. The late Robbie Robertson of The Band said, ‘Its a goddamn impossible way of life.’”
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