Lemats Have a New Single. Release Party at The Saint on 5/25.

Photo provided by Lemats

"Bill Paxton (Miles Away)"

I spent some time chatting with Frank Calabrese at Asbury Park's Watermark last week. We discussed his band Lemats and their upcoming EP, Apples and Oranges. Together since 2015, Lemats have settled into a groove according to Calabrese.

In addition to Calabrese (guitar / vocals), Lemats are Scott Rescigno (guitar), Tim Mullooly (drums / percussion), and relatively new addition Dan Barretto (bass). Calabrese told me that, when Barretto joined the band, he felt that the match with Mullooly as the rhythm section would be a good one. "That's exactly what happened," he said. Fresh off of dropping the "The" from their name and feeling like they're firing on all cylinders, Lemats are releasing "Bill Paxton (Miles Away)," the first single from their forthcoming album, this Friday.

The band cite Grizzly Bear, early Coldplay, and Wilco as influences. "Bill Paxton (Miles Away)" displays a good deal of the melodic, atmospheric, and sometimes experimental yet poppy sounds associated with those bands.

"It's about the residual feelings of a bad breakup and convincing yourself you will be alright on your own after years of depending on someone or something other than yourself for so long," says Calabrese. "The song actually has nothing to do with Bill Paxton. We finished writing it the day he died and decided to name it after him in homage. 'Miles Away' is the original name."

Calabrese says that Lemats are a fully collaborative project with each member bringing something of their own to the songs. "The themes of codependency, breakup, love, and departure are all common threads of the the songs on the EP. The songs are collectively written by Lemats."

Check out "Bill Paxton (Miles Away)" below. Lemats celebrate the single / video release on Friday, 5/25, at The Saint. That show also features Where's Tino and Thee Idea Men. After that, the single will be available from just about anywhere you like to grab digital music. Apples and Oranges arrives on 7/13.