Koda Kerl and Marie Borgman have never much cared for the word “genre.” The founding members of Chamomile and Whiskey continuously let the sound of the band carve its own path. With over a decade of touring under their belt and four full-length albums, the group seems comfortable with change. “We’ve been doing this for a long time, we aren’t the same people we were in our early twenties, literally…the lineup has changed numerous times!” Kerl laughs. “Different people bring different influences and taste to the table…we’ve always tried to let the songs lead and follow what feels right… I remember being told once, many years ago, that I shouldn’t play piano on a song because it didn’t fit our brand… and that’s a mistake I’ll never make again.”
After years of establishing themselves as one of central Virginia’s premier party bands, the group has settled in a bit since the pandemic. “We made our 3rd album, Red Clay Heart with Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo) at the end of 2019… we signed with a new agent and were ready to take it to the next level. Of course, 2020 didn’t play out as we hoped but there were some silver linings… I had so much time to write.” Kerl and the band used the downtime to write and start recording themselves, something they had never tried before. It was during this time that bassist Brian Gregory joined the band. “We were looking for a new bassist and Stuart had played with Brian for years in the Wrinkle Neck Mules… he started by adding parts to some demos I was playing with. The first time we all jammed together, I knew he was the perfect fit.” As the band eased back into touring, they started to work on their fourth album, 2024’s Put It All Together, which was co-produced by the band and BJ Pendleton. “I was a little more forthcoming with my opinions on this one but at the same time it was very collaborative… Brian and I would usually be the last ones in the studio late at night… I’m on like my 5th rewatch of The Sopranos and I call him my consigliere. It was cool to see how everyone worked off each other. Marie had hit a wall on one song, and Brian showed her a bass idea that he had scrapped… they went outside and worked it into a fiddle part, while Drew laid down a guitar solo. That’s the kind of stuff we live for.”
As the band prepares to release new music, they have taken to calling what they do “Blue Ridge Mountain Rock and Roll.” A description Kerl hopes will stick, if nothing else than to save time. “We felt like that was a decent way of describing ourselves… we’ve got plenty of Appalachian and Irish influence and southern rock and country and blues… but I just don’t care about the branding that much… it’s probably not a good thing professionally but I find it exhausting. We’ve got friends that play Honky-Tonk, and I love it and I’m glad is easy for them to describe what they do… but it isn’t for us, and I don’t want it to be. I get bored easily.” Like the drink they created and named their band after, Chamomile and Whiskey like to experiment and sometimes shoot from the hip. Their ever-evolving sound has always been grounded in powerful songwriting and energetic live performance. It’s a cocktail that brings folks back, looking forward to the next round.
Today, Glide is offering a taste of the band’s new music with their holiday-themed single “This Time Of Year” and its accompanying video that captures their dynamic performance style. Within the opening piano lines, there is a sense of intimacy and warmth to the song as the lyrics lend a festive warmth. The band gathers around the piano much like one might expect at a holiday gathering, with each member contributing musical textures to this original. We get moody slide guitar, softly shuffling brushstick drums, a quiet bass groove, and a fiddle adding the proper dose of sentimental feeling to it all. While this might be more of a somber holiday tune, there is still something reassuring about it with its soulful folk sound.
Koda Kerl describes the inspiration behind the song and its video:
“Our friends Jon and Melissa offered up their grand piano a while back and we finally took them up on it… Marie cut some greenery and did a little set dressing and we got a good take. There’s something about gathering around a piano that feels good, especially for a holiday song. There was a calm and peaceful vibe on this shoot which fit the song well. We hoped the dogs would make it into the shot but they were being shy.”
WATCH:
