Wednesday (American band)
Wednesday | |
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![]() Hartzman playing with Wednesday in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2023 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Asheville, North Carolina, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 2017–present |
Labels |
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Members |
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Past members |
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Website | www |
Wednesday is an American rock band from Asheville, North Carolina, currently signed to Dead Oceans. The band consists of vocalist Karly Hartzman, guitarist Jake Lenderman (aka MJ Lenderman), lap steel player Xandy Chelmis, drummer Alan Miller and bassist Ethan Baechtold.[1] Wednesday was formed in 2017 as Karly Hartzman's personal songwriting project.[2]
Career
Hartzman was inspired to start playing guitar after watching Mitski's NPR Tiny Desk concert. Hartzman attended college in Asheville, where she met Daniel Gorham. The two recorded an album together under the moniker Wednesday titled yep definitely.[3] The band's name was inspired by the British band The Sundays.[4] In 2017, Hartzman met Lenderman after he slept over at Hartzman's family home after a show. Lenderman would join Wednesday in 2018 for an EP called How Do You Let Love Into the Heart That Isn’t Split Wide Open.[5]
Hartzman formed another band called Diva Sweetly, alongside members of the band Pictures of Vernon, which released an album in 2019.[3] However, Hartzman was interested in making music that was closer to shoegaze, a departure from the style of Diva Sweetly. After Gorham left the band to work on other musical projects, Hartzman gathered new members from the local music scene in Asheville to join Wednesday. The group released their second album, titled I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone in 2020.[6][3] The group released their third record, Twin Plagues, on August 13, 2021. Twin Plagues is the first Wednesday album with Lenderman as a full member of the band.[7][8][5]
On March 11, 2022, the band released a covers album titled Mowing the Leaves Instead of Piling 'em Up, featuring covers versions of songs by Gary Stewart, Chris Bell, Roger Miller, Drive-By Truckers, Hotline TNT, Greg Sage, Vic Chesnutt, Medicine and The Smashing Pumpkins.[9][10] On September 8, 2022, the band left Orindal Records and signed to Dead Oceans, releasing the single "Bull Believer".[11] On January 18, 2023, the band released the single "Chosen to Deserve" and announced a fifth album, Rat Saw God, which was released on April 7, 2023.[12]
The band performed at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona on June 4, 2023, where the band, playing on the Amazon Music stage, went on an anti-Amazon speech prior to "Bull Believer" and dedicated the song to "any warehouse workers who have ever been mistreated."[13]
![The group Wednesday performing in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Hartzman is singing, and Baechtold is playing bass guitar.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/95/Wednesday_live_in_Grand_Rapids_17_33_29_721000.jpeg/220px-Wednesday_live_in_Grand_Rapids_17_33_29_721000.jpeg)
Jake Lenderman also releases solo music under the name MJ Lenderman. His third solo album Boat Songs was released in 2022 and received critical acclaim.
Influences and Style
The band's music contains semi-autobiographical details about Hartzman's past life experiences in Asheville. Some songs mix minor details in the environment with darker tales of drug abuse. Hartzman credits Drive-By Truckers as a songwriting influence, mentioning the band in the song "Bath County". According to The Ringer, the band was also influenced by "country storytellers" like Lucinda Williams and Richard Buckner.[5][14] Hartzman cites Lenderman himself as an influence, having been a fan of his solo work under the name MJ Lenderman before the two met. Some songs include details of their relationship, since the pair started dating around the time of Twin Plagues.[5]
Their sound has been described as country, shoegaze, and indie or alternative rock.[5][14]
Band members
Current members
- Karly Hartzman – vocals, guitar (2017–present)
- Jake Lenderman – guitar, vocals (2020–present)
- Xandy Chelmis – lap steel (2020–present)
- Ethan Baechtold – bass guitar (2023–present)
- Alan Miler - drums (2020–present)[1]
Former members
- Daniel Gorham – bass guitar (2017-2019)
- Margo Schultz – bass guitar (2020–2022)[15]
Discography
Studio albums
Title | Details |
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Yep Definitely |
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I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone |
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Twin Plagues |
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Mowing the Leaves Instead of Piling 'Em Up |
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Rat Saw God |
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Live albums
Title | Details |
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Wednesday on Audiotree Live |
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Extended plays
Title | Details |
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How Do You Let Love Into the Heart That Isn't Split Wide Open (with MJ Lenderman) |
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Wednesday |
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Guttering (with MJ Lenderman)[16] |
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Singles
Title | Year | Album |
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"Fate Is" / "Billboard"[17] | 2019 | I Was Trying to Describe You to Someone |
"November"[18] | 2020 | |
"Handsome Man"[19] | 2021 | Twin Plagues |
"Cody's Only"[20] | ||
"One More Last One"[21] | ||
"How Can You Live If You Can't Love How Can You If You Do"[22] | ||
"She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)"[23] | 2022 | Mowing the Leaves Instead of Piling 'em Up |
"Feast of Snakes"[24] | Non-album single | |
"Bull Believer"[25] | Rat Saw God | |
"Chosen to Deserve"[26] | 2023 |
References
- ^ a b Rettig, James (9 June 2021). "Band To Watch: Wednesday". Stereogum. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ McDermott, Patrick D. (September 6, 2022). "Wednesday in Athens". Oxford American. No. 118. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ a b c Manno, Lizzie. "Wednesday: The Best of What's Next". Paste. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ "Singles Club: March • Off Shelf". Off Shelf. 2020-04-07. Retrieved 2023-01-31.
- ^ a b c d e "Wednesday's Curdled Beauty". Pitchfork. 2023-01-25. Retrieved 2023-09-27.
- ^ Moura, Rob (19 February 2020). "Wednesday - "I Was Trying To Describe You To Someone" Album Review". Post-Trash. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ Jones, Abby (13 August 2021). "Wednesday Share New Album Twin Plagues: Stream". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ Liu, Kelly. "Wednesday: Twin Plagues". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (March 11, 2022). "Hear Wednesday Cover Smashing Pumpkins, Vic Chesnutt, Medicine, & More On Their Rad New Covers Album". Stereogum. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Curto, Justin (2023-04-07). "Wednesday Can Find a Song Anywhere". Vulture. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ^ Moreland, Quinn (September 8, 2022). "Wednesday Sign to Dead Oceans, Share New Song "Bull Believer": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Strauss, Matthew (January 18, 2023). "Wednesday Announce Tour and New Album, Share "Chosen to Deserve" Video: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Williams, Sophie (2023-06-06). "Primavera Sound Barcelona 2023 review: a comeback worth shouting about". NME. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
- ^ a b Cohen, Ian (2023-04-05). "Wednesday's Teenage Dirtbag Hymnals". The Ringer. Retrieved 2023-09-27.
- ^ "COVER STORY Wednesday's Year of the Rat". Pastemagazine.com. April 3, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (January 22, 2021). "Stream MJ Lenderman & Wednesday's Collaborative EP Guttering". Stereogum. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Rettig, James (December 12, 2019). "Wednesday – "Fate Is…" & "Billboard"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Rettig, James (January 7, 2020). "Wednesday – "November"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (May 19, 2021). "Wednesday – "Handsome Man"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Rettig, James (June 9, 2021). "Band To Watch: Wednesday". Stereogum. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Rettig, James (July 7, 2021). "Wednesday – "One More Last One"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Campbell, Caleb (July 20, 2021). "Premiere: Wednesday Shares New Single "How Can You Live If You Can't Love How Can You If You Do"". Under the Radar. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Cills, Hazel (February 23, 2022). "Wednesday, 'She's Actin' Single (I'm Drinkin' Doubles)'". NPR. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ DeVille, Chris (March 25, 2022). "Wednesday – "Feast Of Snakes"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Russell, Scott (September 8, 2022). "Wednesday Share Towering New Single "Bull Believer," Sign to Dead Oceans". Paste. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ Lorusso, Marissa (January 18, 2023). "Wednesday, 'Chosen to Deserve'". NPR. Retrieved January 20, 2023.