With the release of The Road So Far album, Whitney Road brings a new feel to a classic genre. Lush with beautiful folk progressions, soulful vocals, and an almost southern attitude, the record boasts the aesthetic of indie folk anthems. Though the songs are diverse from one another, there is a glue that holds it all together much like a concept album would. Most importantly, the record never loses sight of the emotional platform great songs are built from.
The first single, “Wrapped And Tied“, is a classic rock power house. Complete with an addicting piano hook, and perfect harmonies, the song seems to build and breathe as the story plays out.
A good relationship is like a gift. But sometimes that gift can be wrapped and tied with a crooked bow. And the relationship is destined to end. Wrapped and Tied also represents the blend of folky acoustic singer-songwriter with a more classic rock groove. In addition – it’s got all the elements of a successful pop song – simple melody, repetitive catchy lick and cool harmonies. If you’ve never heard Whitney Road, this song is a nice entry into our sound,” explains songwriter Douglas O’Connor of the bands single.
Although the single speaks volumes for the album, to get a real understanding for where Whitney Road is coming from, it should be heard in its entirety. The album ranges from country ballads, to classic folk rock and plenty in between.
Introduce yourself to our readers and describe the style of music you create.
Hey there. We are Whitney Road. We hail from the Hudson Valley in NY State and our music is best described as “Indie Folk / Acoustic Pop”. The all encompassing genre of “Americana” is also often applied to our sound. The members of the Whitney Road all come from a variety of musical backgrounds. Rock, folk, Celtic music, jam band, and musical theatre are all styles that the band members have played in their history. But here in Whitney Road, the chemistry really works and the styles come together to create this original blend of Whitney Road music.
Who or what influences your playing and/or writing styles? Also, what motivates you to keep creating?
As mentioned earlier, Whitney Road has a wide variety of influences. Some examples include: Ryan Adams, The Jayhawks, the Eagles, Dawes, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Rait, just to name a few. Songwriting has an energy about it – when you are in songwriting mode, and the songs are good, you want to keep writing songs. There are song ideas in everyday life, relationships, struggles, etc.. Feeling that positive energy that comes from writing is what keeps us creating.
What was the last song you listened to?
The Star of the County Down (Irish tune) – we are playing at a Celtic Festival this weekend 🙂
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what are one or two of the biggest challenges you face when trying to attract listeners to your music?
When Whitney Road plays live – we often find that our music appeals to a slightly older crowd. (meaning folks in their 40’s / 50’s). Our sound often evokes memories of music that was made back in the 70’s, a similar vibe at times to some of the popular music from the early 70’s. Unfortunately – this demographic is not very active in terms of buying music. And really – you totally nailed the ultimate challenge these days with getting new music to be noticed – there is so much new music out there – we are just another little fish in a really big pond. But when folks do hear Whitney Road – they like it – so that keeps us motivated to continuously knock on doors and submit our songs for consideration.
Do you gig, tour or perform through any live streaming services? Where can music lovers see you perform?
We currently gig locally in the Hudson Valley in NY State. We have not explored any live streaming services but it is one of the avenues we are considering. Our list of upcoming shows is listed on our website.
We gig around twice per month and there are a few very cool wineries in the region that have a great vibe for our music. With the strength of the new album, we are now working on booking shows in new venues – mainly in the northeast US.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more of your music?
Our website and our Facebook page are the best ways to connect with us and check out our music.
The Road So Far is streaming on Apple Music and Spotify.
