Side Saddle Announce New EP WALTERMELON

Side Saddle is excited to announce the new EP Waltermelon, due out September 6th. The songs on the forthcoming EP reflect a transition in band leader and songwriter Ian Mcguinness's life as he fell in love with his soon to be wife, and also struggled with starting a new job that required a move away from home and an unrelenting travel schedule. The first single from Waltermelon (the EP affectionately named after the dog he shares with his fiance), "Ink & Dirty Strings", is praised by Glide Magazine as "a rejuvenating indie-pop jewel reminiscent of Nada Surf and Death Cab for Cutie," and is out today. The track's unbridled power pop will also find fans with devotees of groups like The Rentals, Maritime and Matthew Sweet. Side Saddle will play an EP release show on September 22nd at the Mercury Lounge in NYC.

Stream "Ink & Dirty String" from the Waltermellon EP:

When Ian first began working on what would become the Waltermelon EP, he did so right as he was making a big move from Queens, NY to Boston, MA for a new job. That gig would have him on the road 3 weeks out of 4 each month, and the drastic change in lifestyle was disorienting to say the least. To further complicate things, his then girlfriend had just moved to Austin, TX to finish her degree. Figuring out how to navigate that long-distance relationship would end up inspiring "Ink & Dirty Strings", but the work travel schedule and the uprooting of his life on many fronts took a toll, and the Waltermelon EP was put on hold.

"I started having super intense flourishes of anxiety and depression," explains Ian, "I couldn't seem to make time to record, rehearse, or see my band mates who were still living back in Queens, and I was later diagnosed with Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety."

Eventually, Ian's fiance returned after completing school, they settled down in a house in Providence, RI and he began to work on the EP again. He reconnected with his bandmates in Queens and they got back in the studio, finishing Waltermelon over two weekends while recording at Buddy Project studios in Astoria, NY. Songs like "Sparks Fly" and "Ireland" reflect on falling in love, while "Chemistry" explores the high highs and low lows that can leave one feeling like their brain chemistry is off.

As the release date for the EP approaches Ian is yet again in the midst of a move, but this one has him coming back to New York and the community he'd built here. A full circle return that mirrors the anxious yet hopeful journey the songs on the EP take the listener along for.

Ian Mcginness on the name of the Waltermellon EP...

"Walter was my fiances dog before he became our dog. Having now lived with Walter for 2 years, I love him more than any other pet I've ever had (and i grew up with dogs). He went missing a year ago for about 36 hours and it was one of the hardest things I've gone through and the truth is I didn't realize how much I cared about him until he was gone. Waltermelon is a reminder for me to make sure I'm taking stock of the people around me that I love and learning to actually see what I have before it's gone and realizing it too late."

http://www.sidesaddlemusic.com/

Upcoming Tour Dates:

SEPTEMBER

22 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge (EP Release Show)

To post a comment, you must register and login.