We Were The States had nearly completed the re- even planned on becoming the band’s singer.
“I
cording of its new album Rasa when the Nashville
WE WERE THE STATES floods came. With two feet of water in the base-
RASA ment of Coat of Arms studio, the band went from
CHICKEN RANCH RECORDS euphoric to discouraged, thinking the record they had
NOV. 9TH, 2010 worked on for two years would be indefinitely de-
railed.
Regrouping at Nashville’s Club Roar studio, the
TRACK LISTING: Murfreesboro-based five-piece quickly prepped for
01. Rasa very long hours on a very limited budget, but ulti-
02. End of Us mately persevered. The resulting album captures all
03. Gold of the energy and precise abandon of the band’s
04. Daft Since '77 much-loved live show while also reflecting the real-
05. (I'm Not My) 808 istic frustrations of their situation. It’s a tense record,
06. Don't Ask Why but still a joy to listen to.
07. Paris Green
08. Iris & I Working with producers Jesse Newport and Daniel
09. Queens Feese, We Were The States vocalist Justin Webb
10. I Need A Friend was encouraged to approach the songs he wrote for
11. Under The Hand Rasa like he had never heard them before. Webb
12. Hot Waves
explains that Feese gave him the freedom to try all
of the ideas he had in his head.
“A specific example from the record would be ‘Daft
Since ‘77’, a song I had the words for, but didn’t
know how I wanted to hit on the chorus.” In its
completed form, the chorus explodes just how it’s
meant to, expressing Webb’s restlessness perfectly
amid just the right amount of rock n’ roll sheen.
For as easy as that chorus comes, it’s surprising to
find out that when Webb first met guitarist Jay
Stoyanov and formed We Were The States, he never
CONTACT:
JOSH BLOOM
JOSH@FANATICPROMOTION.COM
FANATICPROMOTION.COM
only wanted to play guitar,” Webb says. “I eventu-
ally dropped guitar all together tho -- when we play
live, I only sing.”
The band is the better for it ultimately, with Webb
allowed the freedom to perform as a true front man.
On Rasa, his captivating vocals are unhampered
above the mature, layered, and just plain big sound
that the band has achieved on the album -- a dis-
tinctive step forward from its debut record. “I know
it took me a few years, but with this album I really
felt comfortable being myself,” Webb says.
We Were The States is back to feeling euphoric and
is ready to play live again. Wired Magazine previ-
ously said of the band’s show that “These guys
sounded so good that they cut through the din of
South By Southwest from 100 yards away...” These
guys are looking forward to continuing to leave that
impression with the release of Rasa on Austin’s
Chicken Ranch Records this fall.
We Were The States is:
Benjamin P. Moore - Guitar
Justin Webb - Vocals
Tyler Coppage - Drums
Jay Stoyanov - Guitar
Will Pettus - Bass
WE WERE THE STATES
PHOTO CREDIT: JT SUMNER