The Chelsea Curve feel the heat and the action with ‘How Can I (Resist You)?’
Listen to The Chelsea Curve: Bandcamp x Spotify
New single is the first dose of new music and an EP set for fall release
BOSTON, MA [May 10, 2023] -- The Chelsea Curve may lift their band moniker from a zig-zagging stretch of highway just north of their native Boston, but the mod-pop trio’s arc over the past year or so has taken on a rather direct course. From a commanding set at the Boston Calling Music Festival to lively shows across the United Kingdom to holding court at scooter rallies in Las Vegas, The Chelsea Curve have been all over the literal map since the March 2022 release of debut album All The Things. But there’s a straight line of action from then to now, a band distinctly on the rise, and the next dose of inspired rock and roll action arrives Wednesday, May 10, when the band unleashes new single “How Can I (Resist You)?” via Red On Red Records.
This infectious new ripper lands a few days after The Chelsea Curve crashed the finals of the vaunted Rock & Roll Rumble, the “World Series of Boston rock” that’s both a friendly competition within the city’s music scene and a nine-night festival showcase. After battling for the Rumble crown over the weekend, The Chelsea Curve now welcome British mod band Sharp Class for a trio of gigs around New England: May 11 at The Parlour in Providence, R.I.; May 12 at Geno’s in Portland, Maine; and May 13 at The Jungle in Somerville, Mass.
It’s a busy time for the band, but in reality, the stylish, retro-fashioned trio – bassist/vocalist Linda Pardee; guitarist/vocalist Tim Gillis; and drummer Ron Belanger – haven’t eased up since launching the Singles Scene in early 2021, when they reeled off eight singles over eight straight months. This time around, The Chelsea Curve are stretching things out a bit, kickstarting a new chapter with “How Can I (Resist You)?” before releasing new music over the summer and capping it all off with a new EP in the fall, around the time they’ll support The Len Price 3’s American invasion. So while sitting still isn’t exactly the band’s style, this new single will marinate for a bit while they fill the live calendar. And that’s in line with the tune’s lyrical theme.
“‘How Can I (Resist You)?’ is a song of longing and desire, of pining from afar, of an obsessive love… but exactly who, or should I say what, is the mystery,” says Pardee. “I had a melody line in mind that reminded me a bit of The Lemonheads and Elvis Costello. The melodies for the verses and chorus have a decidedly ‘80s bent to them. We went through a few arrangement ideas as a band to get it just right. Lyrically and vocally, I’m singing about yearning/loving from afar and as the song goes on you can hear the narrator getting more and more obsessed.”
While “How Can I (Resist You)?” shares some sonic DNA with the tracks from All The Things, it also shows off The Chelsea Curve’s musical versatility. It could easily slot in with the garage rock scene, or the power-pop crew, or the Britpop revivalists. It’s melodic and inviting, but with just enough punk snarl to keep things snappy. And it's got soul. “We think it continues our direction of not being tied down to a particular genre,” says Gillis. “It fits really well with the next wave of material, and with All The Things too.”
Belanger agrees, adding: “Our material comes from a lifetime of listening to all genres of rock, from the ‘50s to modern day indie rock. So I guess it's inclusive of some of the newer stuff we like, but our formula is rooted in simple, catchy, punch-you-in-the-nose style of rock. I think this new single fits that bill to a T.”
With a strong, cult-like following around Boston and a growing global fanbase, spurred by international blog love and indie radio airplay, “How Can I (Resist You)?” is positioned to take the band to the next level. And they’re ready for the challenge, eager to take on crowds of all sizes and get them moving. Because hey, let’s face it, if a band can make a Boston audience move and loosen up those traditionally stiff shoulders, they’ve got something goin’ on.
“We've had the chance to play everything from porchfests to major festivals, so that wide experience has given us real confidence that we can kill it each night we take stage,” Belanger says. “We know what we have to do each night, whether we're playing to 30 people or 300 or more. 2023 is the year we really hit the gas on The Chelsea Curve.”
And along the way, they’ll have fun doing it. It can be heard in the music, upbeat sounds for downtrodden times, and seen on the smiles flashed by the band while they’re rocking out on stage. They’re no ego here, no pretense, no attitude – just inclusion, friendship, and good times had by all. Everyone is welcome in The Chelsea Curve’s clubhouse. And after the past few years, we can all use that kind of invitation.
“We have fun – it’s our top priority!” exclaims Gillis. “When we’re having fun, things just work – from the music to the live show. And we think people can hear and see that.”
With The Chelsea Curve, it’s all very hard to miss.
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The Chelsea Curve are:
Linda Pardee: Bass and vocals
Tim Gillis: Guitar and vocals
Ron Belanger: Drums
‘How Can I (Resist You)’ single credits:
Music by The Chelsea Curve
Lyrics by Linda Pardee
Recorded at Mad Oak Studios, Allston, MA
Mixed at Bluetone Studio, Somerville, MA
Recorded and mixed by Mike Quinn
Produced by The Chelsea Curve
