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Contenders

by Great Lakes

supported by
Adam Sterritt
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  • Record/Vinyl

    7th Great Lakes album, released Feb. 2022.

    ships out within 3 days

      $18 USD or more 

     

about

Contenders is the 7th album by Great Lakes. Though band leader Ben Crum now resides in upstate NY, Contenders has more of a city feel. Influences range widely. "Eclipse This" and "Easy When You Know How" draw upon the dark, menacing psych of Trad Gras och Stenar, whereas "Last Night's Smoke" and "Baby's Breath" are reminiscent of Teenage Fanclub. "Way Beyond the Blue" calls to mind Alien Lanes-era GBV, while "Your Eyes are Xs" is a tip of the hat to Crum's formative shoegaze influences. And Nienaber contributes Wave Fighter, a gentle ballad with softly psychedelic Eno-inspired production. Despite the varying influences, it's a cohesive album made up of direct, personal songs, and the kind of record that, after 3 listens, may feel like an old favorite that you've known for years.

“An instant classic.” - The Revue

“Intelligent and engaging folk-pop with psychedelic overtones from leader and songwriter Ben Crum. Contenders is one of their most engaging efforts, one which welcomes repeat listening that reinforces the strength of this music.” - AllMusic

“Sturdy and diverse, Contenders is yet another successful effort for Ben Crum and Great Lakes.” - The Vinyl District

“Great music based on clever songwriting and melodies.” - Spill Magazine

“There’s something really intimate and personal about this album. It sounds like you’re sharing a beer with your poetic best friend. ” - Austin Town Hall

"Yet another sterling installment in the discography." - Paste

"Great Lakes are more than capable of making powerful guitar-based rock, and 2022's Contenders saw them embracing this facet of their work." - Apple Music

“Contenders is an immensely satisfying listen, a thing of solid, inspiring beauty that wows from its very core, and one of the richest albums of this stripe as we’ve heard in quite some time. It is, in short, an up-to-now career-defining piece of work from an American master.” - Stereo Embers

credits

released February 4, 2022

Mixed by Luis Leal, mastered by Jen Munson. Featuring Ben Crum (guitar, bass, keyboards, vocals), Suzanne Nienaber (vocals), Kevin Shea (drums); with Louis Schefano (drums on "Eclipse This", percussion and vocals on "Broken Even"), David Gould (synth on "I'm Not Listening," "Wave Fighter," "Your Eyes are Xs" and organ on "Broken Even"), Petter Folkedal (piano on Born Frees), Chris Ziter (vocals on "Baby's Breath"), and Ray Rizzo (vocals on "Born Frees" and "Last Night's Smoke").

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Great Lakes / Ben Crum / Loose Trucks Records image

Great Lakes / Ben Crum / Loose Trucks Records Brooklyn, New York

Led by singer-songwriter-guitarist Ben Crum, Great Lakes has released 7 albums and a half dozen singles since the band formed in Athens, GA in 1996. Based in Brooklyn for nearly 20 years, Crum now lives in upstate New York. The band's latest record is called Contenders and is available on HHBTM. ... more

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