Stephen Clair sends tuneful, terrific Transmissions from his happy place to yours with his snappy, scrappy, punchy and crunchy new album — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Inspired, invigorated and inviting, the prolific New York singer-songwriter’s umpteenth studio set boldly booty-slaps the sweet spot between power-pop, indie-rock, new wave and alt-country (plus a few more styles and sub-genres I’m probably forgetting). Blending sharply crafted songs, witty lyrics, stylishly vibrant production, too-cool-for-school vibes and crisply focused performances, these glittery little geegaws could slide right in on a mixtape next to The Kinks, Spoon, The Cars, NRBQ, Wilco, Tom Petty and more of their impressive ilk.
If there’s a moral (or at least an explanation) to the splendidness of Transmissions, maybe it’s this simple bromide: Good music takes time. Specifically, this album took two years for Clair and longtime bandmates Daria Grace (bass) and Aaron Latos (drums) to fashion, forge and finish. It was, as the kids don’t say, an unprecedented undertaking requiring heaping helpings of persistence, perseverance and patience. By comparison, 2020’s The Small Hours took a couple of weekends — and even that was nothing to sneeze at for these fast-moving, no-moss-gathering types.
But hey, the proof is in the pudding. And for those keeping score (or not) at home, Transmissions is Clair’s 11th album-shaped serving of sonic pudding. So anyway, yeah, not only did they spend two years getting thigh slaps, tympani, ’80s-synth arpeggios, and ever-present electric guitar sounds just just just just just right — then they spent more time mixing and mastering the album. After that, another year went by — and then they mixed and mastered the album a second time. Because why not? And hey, it worked. Let me reiterate: Proof. Pudding. Yum.
Indeed, the nine-song excursion goes wildly (and occcasionally mildly) to all of Clair’s favorite places, from two-chord indie-rock drama to candy-coated, neon-coloured analog synth melodies and a whole lot more. I could spoon-feed you several more loaves of breadcrumbs to mark all of Clair’s sonic trails, but where’s the fun in that? Better you should don some comfy pants and sensible shoes, take a stroll through Clair’s world and choose your own adventure. You won’t get lost. After all, he didn’t. Even though he’s following some familiar footsteps, Clair has blazed his own path, and his sound and songs are all his own. This album is not only full of surprises, but the songs are just hooky as hell. Some even call him a rye wordsmith. Which just proves that some people don’t know how to spell wry. Or that he really likes Canadian whiskey.
Others will tell you Clair has been obsessed with music since kindergarten, which he skipped because he was listening to records with his grandfather. And when it comes to making songs, that obsession comes through in every word, every note, and even the air between. Best known for his sharp wit and guitar stylings, the Beacon musician has been a fixture on the alt-country and dorky indie-rock scenes since his 1997 debut Altoona Hotel, named for the town Gramps called home. He’s toured and done all the things people like him do, experiencing all the near-misses of life in the biz they call show. Critics and his family love him first. Everyone else has come around in their own sweet time. You’re next. You’re so next.
Listen to Transmissions below, watch some of Stephen Clair’s videos above, and send him a message on his website, Facebook and Instagram.
