Americana/roots rock/folk trio Warden and Co. makes the kind of music that feels comfortable immediately. With echoes of Tom Petty, Dave Matthews Band, and Kings of Leon, their music rambles and rolls through rockers and ballads with equal aplomb, capped off by the warm lead vocals of guitarist Seth Warden. His bandmates — Doug Moody on violin, viola and backing vocals, and Brian Melick on drums and percussion — bring variety and depth; the threesome makes music that sounds and feels much bigger than a trio. It’s comfort food for the ears musically, with lyrics that dive deeper and hit more profoundly than most. Warden and Co.’s new album, “Somewhere” (out April 8th), is the kind of record where every song is a must-listen and not-to-be-missed.
Your album is really fantastic. Tell us how you came to gather this collection of songs together.
Wow, thank you for the positive feedback and for listening to our music! Most of these songs were written over quarantine and the beginning of the pandemic. Two of the songs (“Living for Love” and “Without a Word”) have been around in demo form for over a decade, so it’s great to have them come to life on this album.
What was the recording process like? Did it go the way you expected? What was your favorite moment or moments in the studio?
Recording is one of the most exciting things to do as a musician. We tracked the album at Millstone Studio in upstate New York with producer/engineer Chris Carey. We split the recording into two main tracking sessions, one where we did five songs, then six songs for the second time around. Having my daughter in the studio with us was one of those very special moments for me when she recorded a vocal track on the song “Somewhere.”
Do you have a favorite song on the album? What makes it stand out for you?
I have a few favorite songs on this album, but the one that stands out is “Somewhere.” Its universal hometown theme is one that resonates within all of us.
How would you describe the music that you make? Does this album feel like the band’s most “genuine” musical self?
The music that we make is sincere, acoustic-based, folk-rock. This album does feel the most genuine to our sound. We felt that it was important for listeners to feel our conviction in the notes and rhythms we played as well as in the delivery of the lyrics.
What do you hope listeners take from listening to this album?
We hope they hear something original and fresh as well as something relatable. The music speaks for itself and we look forward to performing these songs for a long time!
What’s coming up next for you once the album comes out this week?
We have a good-looking calendar of performances set around New York this summer, and we hope that these shows will lead to more opportunities to share our music and message.
