Lullwater
Sometimes, the only way to cut an album is to completely uproot and relocate.
In order to record their self-titled sophomore effort, Lullwater made a pilgrimage from their native Athens, GA to Seattle, WA during December 2011. Holing up at the historical London Bridge Studios, the birthing ground of Pearl Jam’s Ten and Soundgarden’s Louder Than Love, with producer Jonathan Plum, the group immediately felt at home. In fact, singer and rhythm guitarist John Strickland insists the musicians experienced something of a creative revelation.
“My whole childhood was nineties rock,” he explains. “For me growing up in Georgia, the Seattle scene was like a mythological place where all of these amazing musicians came out of. I told the guys we needed to go there to record. We aimed to bring Athens to Seattle. Being there definitely changed us. It brought us a lot closer together, and we found the sound we’d always wanted.”
That personal “sound” eclipses the hypnotic, heavy melodies of the Pacific Northwest with a healthy helping of bluesy Southern swagger. The quartet—John , Brett Strickland [lead guitar], Joe Wilson [drums], and Roy “Ray” Beatty [bass]—pave their own path with raw, real rock ‘n’ roll that makes no compromises or concessions.
From day one, that was always the goal though. Meeting through mutual friends in the fertile Athens music scene, Lullwater was born in 2007. They experienced all of the madness inherent in starting out. John recalls sweaty jam sessions in a dark, grungy, damp basement on Lullwater Street (the inspiration for the name) and Roy’s first gig with the band minus Brett who ran into a little misunderstanding with the law. Through it all, they released their first full-length, Silhouette, in 2011 and logged over 200 shows with everyone from Marcy’s Playground to Seven Mary Three. The band entered the studio primed to make an album that captured their explosive live energy.
“At London Bridge, they’re adamant about recording on tape, which was perfect for us,” Brett goes on. “We wanted the music to be as raw and natural as possible. It was all us. You hear every nuance of the performances because we were playing live together.”
Eschewing the studio tricks and fixings so many modern acts rely on, Lullwater roar to life on tracks like the first single “Tug of War”. Guttural distortion crashes into John’s impassioned delivery on the hook, rising and falling like a wave.
“It’s a deeper and more emotional song,” admits the vocalist. “I was going through a rough time in a relationship. It’s like you want it to work. You love the person and care about them, but it’s not meshing. It’s really about releasing that anxiety that comes from a tense relationship. You’ve got to stay true to yourself despite the push and pull. Even though you go through those trials and tribulations, there’s a breaking point.”
On the other end of the spectrum, there’s “Albatross”. Propulsive riffing gives way to a sweeping refrain. John goes on, “That song is very aggressive. It can be self-loathing and vulnerable. It’s also very empowering. It’s one listeners can really dive into.”
That goes for the whole record though. Like the album the band collectively grew up on, Lullwater is worth grasping onto for a long time to come. “We want people to relate to the songs and connect to them,” concludes Brett. “We hope they get something emotional from the music.”
John agrees, “I just want them to feel something. What I want is twofold. I hope the album rocks people’s faces off, and it makes them feel more alive in the process.”
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