The Holdup is proud to announce that their next album, Leaves in the Pool, is now out and available everywhere. The 16-track album is the band’s first full-length release since late 2013 and, like all other Holdup albums, was written and produced by the multi-talented Mike Garmany. This will also mark the band’s first full collaboration with Ineffable Music Group and Rootfire Cooperative, both of whom are well respected pillars in the Reggae community, and manage and have released albums with artists such as Collie Buddz, Stick Figure, The Movement and Hirie.
The Holdup has garnered a strong organic following throughout the years, starting from the local circuits in San Jose. Through tireless effort, they managed to find success on a national level. From their debut album Stay Gold reaching #1 on the iTunes Reggae Charts, to 2011’s Still Gold peaking at #2 on the Billboard reggae chart, The Holdup has been receiving accolades, recognition, and new fans at a rapid rate. They have also been awarded the title of iTunes’ Best New Reggae Artist of 2010 as well as being featured on Mac Miller’s “MostDope” blog and 2 Chainz’ “Most Expensivest Shit” GQ video series.
Leaves in the Pool reflects a transitional point in the life of The Holdup. The title itself symbolizes the end of one season and the transition into the next. While the band has enjoyed a high-level of success, recent events have skyrocketed Garmany’s ambition to a new high. Inspired by a move out from the caring wing of his mother, who Garmany praises on the moving opening track “Neighborhood”, Mike has begun to take a more serious approach to his craft, approaching his ambitions with more urgency. With a new season, a new home, and some new touring bandmates, Leaves in the Pool is sure to show a revitalized side of The Holdup.
Not unlike other Holdup releases, songwriting, engineering, and production were all spearheaded by Mike Garmany. Writing and recording were handled in-house, literally, allowing Garmany complete control over arrangements. Mastering work was handled by Huntley Miller, who recently mastered Bon Iver’s new release. Inspiration varied from track-to-track, but Garmany hints at something bigger than himself, stating: “The older I get, the more I feel like the ideas come from somewhere else outside of me.”
The tracks on Leaves in the Pool touch on a large handful of thoughts and emotions. Everything from love songs like the urban-edged “This Ain’t Love” and the feel-good poppiness of “Blink of an Eye”, to the struggles of reaching the next level of success in “Almost Famous” and “Dumb Luck”, and everything in between, including a heavy dose of hip hop closing the album with “10 Karats”. Followers of The Holdup might be happy to hear that, of the three tracks released earlier this year, “Imperfections” found its way onto the album. Fans can expect a lot more guitar work on this release. Speaking on the new-found inspiration Garmany credited bandmate Grant Averill as the catalyst, saying “Grant turned me into a John Mayer fan. 2015 was the year of John Mayer for me. I pretty much exclusively listened to the album Continuum. That got me back into guitar in a heavy way. I kind of left it alone for a while but I'm in love with it now. I don't think I'll ever put it down again.”
The Holdup plan to tour as much as possible, crediting a lack of touring as the area in which they fell short on in the past. They have dates lined up currently through Mid-December, including supporting gigs with Rootfire-friends The Movement. Leaves in the Pool shows that major changes are the natural progression of life. The songs showcase the transformation of The Holdup and the lives of its members, adding a layer of depth to the catchy songwriting fans of The Holdup have come to enjoy. Leaves in the Pool dropped December 1st, 2016 gave listeners something new to fall in love with.
Leaves in the Pool Tracklisting:
- Neighborhood
- Dumb Luck
- Way Too High
- Imperfections
- Spoken For
- Right Away
- Blink of an Eye
- Hotline Interlude
- This Ain’t Love
- Wait for Me
- Nothin’s on Fire
- The Truth
- Leaves In The Pool
- Almost Famous
- Come for You
- 10 Karats
The Holdup Tour Dates:
Nov 18 – Grange Hall – San Luis Obispo, CA
Nov 19 – Casa Sorrento – Salinas, CA
Nov 20 – The Federal Underground – Long Beach, CA
Nov 23 – Discovery Ventura – Ventura, Ca
Nov 26 – Pub Rock – Scottsdale, AZ
Nov 28 – The Green Room – Houston, TX
Nov 30 – The Parish – New Orleans, LA w/ The Movement
Dec 1 – Vinyl Music Hall – Pensacola, FL w/ The Movement
Dec 2 – The Masquerade – Atlanta, GA w/ The Movement
Dec 3 – The Pour House – Charleston, SC w/ The Movement
Dec 4 – Visulite Theater – Charlotte, NC w/ The Movement
Dec 6 – The Calico Room – Wilmington, NC w/ The Movement
Dec 8 – Baltimore Soundstage – Baltimore, MD w/ The Movement
Dec 9 – Great Scott – Allston, MA w/ The Movement
Dec 10 – Parlor Bar & Kitchen – Newport, RI
Dec 16 – Social Hall SF – San Francisco, CA
