Today, acclaimed Austin-based artists The Bright Light Social Hour and Israel Nash are excited to announce the Neighbors EP. A three-song collaboration between artists, the Neighbors EP is set for release digitally on November 4th, 2016, to be followed by a physical release of 500 limited-edition copies on 7” vinyl on November 18th, 2016. Pre-orders are available here.
Featuring vocals by Israel Nash and Jack O’Brien (TBLSH), “Lupita” is the first single off of the Neighbors EP. The song narrates the story of a Mexican couple who have risked their lives in search of a better existence in the United States, only to have found the harsh realities of undocumented life to present surprising challenges of their own. The EP, a statement about the current toxic political sentiment about immigration in the United States, takes the listener on a journey from bravely leaving home in search of safety and prosperity, longing for a life left behind, to the often terrifying experience of trying to settle in a new country. Tune into KUTX today at 3 PM CST to hear Israel Nash and Jack O’Brien discuss the EP and debut “Lupita” on-air.
“The whole EP is about having empathy for the struggles of those around us, our neighbors – specifically our neighbors to the south in Mexico, and undocumented immigrants who make up an essential part of our communities,” states O’Brien.
Of Neighbors, Curtis Roush (TBLSH) shares, “On the Neighbors EP, we lend our voices in solidarity to those brave enough to risk their safety for a better life. We seek to celebrate the humanity of different folks struggling against a hostile environment. Our brothers and sisters around the world are our inspiration, our hope, and our neighbors.”
Israel Nash adds, “We really wanted the songs to reflect our feelings about freedom and democracy, peace, love -- the beautiful things that drive away the eclipse of darkness. …Immigrants, natives, men, women, they're just a bunch of labels that we have created. But ultimately, we are all people. Humans with hopes and dreams. We're all the same. Let's learn to love.”
The collaboration between Israel Nash and The Bright Light Social Hour came to fruition naturally, as the two bands often crossed paths in their home-base of Austin, as neighbors and friends. Sharing similar musical and political sentiments, the artists recorded Neighbors together by hopping between Israel Nash’s studio Plum Creek Sound and TBLSH’s Escondido Sound studio over the span of a week this summer. Swapping instruments, band members and socio-political conversation, the Neighbors EP meshes the signature sonics of both Israel Nash’s soaring vocals over Eric Swanson’s sweeping, haunting pedal steel and The Bright Light Social Hour’s driving percussion, soulful vocals and deep textures to expand the musical landscapes we’ve grown to know from both bands.
The Bright Light Social Hour is Jack O’Brien, Curtis Roush, Joseph Mirasole and Edward Braillif.
Israel Nash is Israel Nash, Eric Swanson and Joey McClellan.
