Vinyl Station redefine the past on the haunting ‘Here Comes Your Ghost’
The anthemic Phoenix indie rock band unveils a melodic and magnetic
new single on Friday, December 8 via H1 Massive
NOW PLAYING: Listen to ‘Here Comes Your Ghost’ via Spotify
New EP ‘Answer Slow’ set for Spring 2024 release
Phoenix, AZ [December 8, 2023] – Usually a visit from an apparition elicits some sort of memory from the past, a specter from the metaphysical world returning to reestablish itself in the present. For Vinyl Station, the Phoenix indie rock band set to release haunting new single “Here Comes Your Ghost” on Friday, December 8 via H1 Massive, the sentiment swirling around the song title can take on a few different meanings.
For some, the “Ghost” in question could be the band’s past, as a handful of fan-favorite tunes comprise the quartet’s forthcoming EP Answer Slow, set for unveiling in Spring 2024. But it could also be something a bit more pure: A return to the sensation of hearing something truly great, the feeling we once had when we first heard the seminal bands and records that shaped us into the people we became.
Vinyl Station, with its arena-ready, cerebral indie rock that harkens back to the songwriting ambition and grandeur of the likes of U2, Coldplay, The National, Band of Horses, and other luminaries, is ready to take that next step into our hearts and playlists. That “Here Comes Your Ghost” leads the band’s reemergence, complete with a fresh and polished re-recording by its newly-minted lineup – songwriter, singer and guitarist Matthew Thornton; drummer Roy Cameron; guitarist Sturgis Waters; and bassist Patrick Andrew – is a bit of a coincidence, given its title. But it’s no less impactful as a result.
“I am really excited about sharing these songs with the world, and putting something out which represents the band in its current form,” says singer, songwriter, and guitarist Matthew Thornton. “These are the first recordings with the current members of Vinyl Station, and I think the recording of the Answer Slow EP and the album to follow has been an incredibly rewarding creative endeavor.”
Adds Cameron: "I think the EP turned out great despite us having to piece the recording together over several months due to scheduling conflicts. In this regard, the recording process was different than usual for a creative band but not uncommon these days."
On the magnetic “Here Comes Your Ghost,” a rich, melodic dive into loss and longing, Vinyl Station flex their creative songwriting muscle. Andrew’s propulsive bassline and Cameron’s warpath drums set an immediate tone as the song unfurls, while Waters’ shimmering guitars hover overhead like the titular wraith. Thornton’s yearning vocals carry a crystalline spark with a weathered caution just under the surface, the sound of a man unsure of his surroundings but still steadfast in approach.
“When I write It’s kind of a channeling thing,” Thornton admits. “I try to hear the songs, and then play them as best I can. But it feels like they already exist without me. I don’t invent them, I just discover them.”
Thornton is the first to admit that his compositions are open to interpretation, and is reluctant in conveying his message outside the parameters of his songs. But with songs like “Here Comes Your Ghost,” and the series of singles to follow each month from the start of 2024 until the April release of the EP, it’s easy to allow the music to do the talking.
“The Answer Slow EP is an amazing collection of well crafted songs with elegant arrangements,” adds H1 Massive CEO and mix engineer John Eye. “This band knows how to channel the pure emotion and intent of a composition without the additional clutter of ego.”
It’s what helps Vinyl Station appeal to a wide fan base, one they’ve been cultivating since forming in 2010. Since then, the band has become a touring dynamo, delivering the same introspective exuberance across a schedule that finds them performing live on stage 200 to 300 times a year. Their songs expand and contract based on the venues, playing everything from the dusty dive bars around their native Arizona to the bright lights of 10,000-person venues, like they did when on tour with matchbox twenty’s Rob Thomas around the release of 2015 album Still Open Eyes.
But in a way, the band finds itself born again, re-energized after a few sleepy years of dormancy, by relaunching older tracks that never got the shine they deserved, and aiming to recapture the feeling of a time when music helped soundtrack the day. If the current rock landscape is a dull wasteland of tired trend-chasers and desperate attention-seekers, Vinyl Station is content just letting the music make the statement, both on record and on stage. And the reloaded and recharged “Here Comes Your Ghost” should only enhance that spotlight.
“It’s been fun sending these songs off to college and hearing them all grown up,” jokes Waters. “We’re excited to share them.”
Like the apparition overhead, it’ll feel like they never went away.
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Vinyl Station is:
Matthew Thornton: Lead Vocals, Guitar
Roy Cameron: Drums
Sturgis Waters: Guitars
Patrick Andrew: Bass, vocals
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‘Here Comes Your Ghost’ production credits:
Music & Lyrics by Matthew Thornton
Produced by Vinyl Station
Recorded in The Parlor by Sturgis Waters
Mixed by Matthew Naegle
Vinyl Station short bio:
Vinyl Station are an indie rock band from Phoenix, Arizona, that bring an intimate introspective feel with epic songs that draw you in and bloom to fill stadium stages. Starting out in 2010, the band sets a blistering pace, one year topping out with 394 shows in 12 months. The hard work paid off as they were selected to open on tour for Rob Thomas, performing live in 2,000- to 10,000-person arenas.
The momentum they gained touring with Rob Thomas continues today. Their dedicated fanbase continues to grow, and follow them to new venues and recordings. With a new EP, Answer Slow, set for release in the spring, and more new music on the way later in 2024, Matthew and the band hope to see you at a show soon.
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Media praise for Vinyl Station:
The Peabody crowd…really seemed to appreciate the efforts of Vinyl Station. I [had] never heard of them but was quickly won over by the tremendous emotion conveyed in singer/guitarist Matthew Thornton’s voice. All of their songs were strong, with interesting lyrics, but by far my favorite of their set was “Taken” from their new CD Still Open Eyes. It has a sort of Modest Mouse vibe to it, which I hope they’ll consider high praise.” _Critical Blast
“[Vinyl Station] showed a lot of promise on The Evening Sin, which I praised at the time as the kind of earnest "that could get a guy compared to early Coldplay with a hint of Ryan Adams when he tries his best to tap into Paul Westerberg's way with a bittersweet ballad." With Still Open Eyes, their latest album, they don't make me think of early Coldplay anymore. They sound more like the golden standard Coldplay have been reaching for from day one – echoing the best of latter-day U2. The sense of atmosphere, the aching vocals, the heartfelt nature of the lyrics. It's all in there. And Dylan Pratt in the opening slot should make it worth your while to be on time for once.” _AZ Central
“[Rob Thomas’] opener, Vinyl Station, had the cool kind of indie-rock sound you hear on series on The CW or young adult-oriented films. Much of the quartet’s 30-minute set came from the band’s latest CD, Still Open Eyes.” _Sioux City Journal
