Introducing Hearsing, the brainchild of Avery Murphy and Jordan Taylor, a musical project deeply rooted in their shared journey from high school to professional stardom. Their musical odyssey began within the confines of high school corridors, where they co-founded the surf punk ensemble SUBPAR alongside Lukas Henderson and Austin Corona. Since then, these talented individuals have embarked on their own notable ventures in the music scene, spanning projects like LILACS, Jean Dawson, and Lizzy McAlpine.
Their collaboration within SUBPAR bore fruit with the release of the band’s eponymous album, which garnered over 3.5 million streams on Spotify and maintained a robust monthly listenership of over 21.5k. This early success laid the foundation for Hearsing to germinate, drawing upon their surf punk origins while infusing it with a tapestry of nostalgic melodies and a diverse array of newfound influences, ultimately crafting a unique brand of western music that is distinctly their own.
In March of 2021, Hearsing unveiled their inaugural offering—a self-titled collection of home-recorded tracks that served as a precursor to their burgeoning musical expedition. However, it is in the year 2024 that they truly come into their own, as they unleash their debut professional studio EP, aptly titled “Pastoral.” Recorded under the meticulous guidance of producer and singer-songwriter Henry Chadwick, whose impressive repertoire includes collaborations with esteemed acts like Jesse Daniel and Coffis Brothers, “Pastoral” encapsulates the essence of Hearsing’s artistic evolution. Additionally, the EP features the deft drumming of Ellington Peet, known for his work with bands like Runnner and Babehoven, adding a layer of dynamism to the sonic landscape.
Accompanying the release of “Montauk,” the lead single from “Pastoral,” is a visually captivating music video that serves as a visual companion to the ethereal soundscape of the track. Directed by the brilliant Diego Diaz Lundquist, the video transports viewers on a cinematic journey through landscapes both familiar and otherworldly. With mesmerizing imagery and evocative storytelling, the video offers a glimpse into the boundless creativity and artistic vision of Hearsing, promising an immersive experience that perfectly complements the introspective mood of the song.
Listen and watch here:
Hearsing reveals of the track:
“We wrote Montauk back in 2022, and it was one of the first songs I wrote where I realized not everything had to be directly about real things in my life. Everything gets interpreted so allegorically anyways, real or not, so for Montauk we got to really have fun making up characters and a world that the song could live in. Montauk is really rooted in metaphors concerning the natural world, the chorus “I feel like a star now, look at the way look at the way that my hair shines, I feel like a star now, just look up in the sky tell me if I’m right” is really exemplary of that. On its face it gives this kind of upbeat optimistic reading of feeling like a superstar or something shiny, but in reality I feel like it would be pretty lonely to be a star out in space, shining millions of miles away for others to see. And I think there’s kind of a double meaning there too because I imagine being some big famous star on earth could also feel similar.
The song is accompanied by a music video made by our brilliant friend, Diego Diaz Lundquist. The video was filmed on 8mm film and is so imagistically rich, it feels really immersive, like it allows you to live in the world that the song exists in. But the video contrasts the made-up lyrical content of the song in that it was filmed in very real areas that are personal and special to us, and it features us, as well as a bunch of our close friends. So the video feels very grounded in something real, which in turn grounds the song and ties it to the way we feel it will live in the world once it’s released, not as something made-up or far off, but something very personal that will be present and will serve to soundtrack important moments in people’s lives, whether those be moments of nostalgic past, pressing present, or longing future.”
What sets “Pastoral” apart is not just its impeccable production or the pedigree of its collaborators, but the sheer depth of emotion and creativity that permeates each track. From the wistful nostalgia of “Montauk” to the infectious energy of “Hearsing,” the EP traverses a diverse sonic terrain, seamlessly blending elements of surf punk, indie rock, and Americana to create a sound that is both timeless and refreshing.
As Hearsing prepares to embark on the next phase of their musical journey, their sights set on conquering new horizons and captivating audiences around the globe, they invite listeners to join them on this exhilarating ride. With “Montauk” serving as the harbinger of their sonic expedition, Hearsing is poised to make an indelible mark on the musical landscape, one soul-stirring melody at a time.
