In preparation for the DMV leg of their tour, indie band Night Hawk drops “Graduation Day” and “Coles Tower.”
Earlier this year, Night Hawk dropped the pop-inspired EP “Everything Good Ends.” Now, the Maine-based band is back with a new sound. Their new songs, “Graduation Day” and “Coles Tower”, are two folksy, retrospective pieces that remind me of Angus and Julia Cloud and Billie Marten. I can almost smell the coffee shop these songs are meant to be played in.
The songs take a deeper look at the transitions that come with young adulthood. “Graduation Day” takes the abstract point of an oak tree on a college campus, watching everyone pass them by. It is impossible for me to not love this song. Its soothing harmonies echo my own experience as a recent – and delayed – college graduate back to me. The simple guitar in the background lets the lyrics shine, allowing listeners to appreciate the creativity of the concept.
“Coles Tower” is a fun and frustrated song about feeling trapped. It opens and closes with a building repetition of “Get me out of here,” with laughter lightly heard in the background. Again, the lyrics are what shine in the song. The song takes being trapped literally, drawing from band member Peyton Semjen’s own experience of being stuck in her college dorm with a broken AC unit, and widening it to the trapped feeling that is inevitable in your early twenties.
These songs are simple and safe. Listening to them feels like a warm cup of coffee. Of the writing experience, Peyton had this to say ““Graduation Day” was written in my parents basement with the band as we reveled in our ability to just pick up a few chords and write a song. It came together easily.” That ease and revelry are heard in the songs. There’s a reverence in them, in the included laughs and the focus on the stories that they are trying to tell, that create a wonderful listening experience.
The band is currently on a tour of the East Coast.On June 6th, they start their DMV leg of the tour at The Pocket with Conor and the Wild Hunt. Make sure to grab your tickets!
“Graduation Day” and “Coles Tower” are available now on major streaming platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music. You can get tickets to their show at The Pocket with Conor and the Wild Hunt here.
Percy Sampson, New Orleans born and Virginia bred, is finishing up their time at University of Mary Washington, where they are double majoring in English and Theatre. A passionate writer, they spend most of their free time working on (mostly horror) scripts and short stories.
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Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
