Having already released soaring, cosmic alt-rock bangers “Patch Me Up” and “Great Escape,” California-based Indie/pop/rock The Y Axes are returning soon with new album “Umbra.”

An uplifting sound, surprising rhythms and skilled, tight drumming are the hallmark of this fun band from the San Francisco Bay Area.

Where did the name of the new album originate?

umbracover“An Umbra is the point of total obscuration in a shadow or eclipse, which while dark, can only be produced by a bright light,” shares band member Devin Nelson.

And the inspiration? “…making fun pop songs that are secretly full of complexity and technical stuff,” adds Nelson.

Recorded in Oakland California at Hellam Sound, the new release delivers 11 fun pop-rock tracks bearing the vibe of upbeat vocalist Alexi Rose Belchere.

PRP particularly loves the lead guitar work on their effervescent “Hold Dawn” and have added it to our playlist. Lend an ear to this inviting track:

Hold Dawn

Songs were written and recorded by lead singer Belchere, Devin Nelson (guitar, vocals, synths), Jack Sundquist (bass, synths) and skillful drummer Nick Schneider.

Band members shared their favorite tracks with us via a recent email interview:

Nelson: “Umbra! I love writing epic closers. It was fun to take something that I originally intended as a rock opera and turn it into a cool evolving progressive pop song. I’m especially proud of the cinematic quality of the outro.”

Belchere: “Great Escape is my favorite at the moment, I really like the dynamic of the song and how it gets heavier and heavier as it goes.”

Sundquist: “Patch me up is my favorite song, whenever we play it live the crowd explodes!”

Schneider: “Umbra” is the best song on the album…it best captures our varying musical personalities. We are four unique musicians with four unique musical backgrounds and upbringings, causing a strange pop friction…“Umbra” is the apotheosis of that creative tension – atmospheric and ephemeral at the beginning, soaring and anthemic in the middle, heavy and ominous by the end, with a solid groove throughout. In this song, I hear the distinct and inimitable voices of each of us.”

While not from the new album, we just couldn’t resist mentioning superb track “Light” from their “Sunglasses & Solar Flares” release.

Here ’tis, we think you’ll love it!

Light

You can follow The Y Axes on Twitter and find their music here.

Cynthia Orlando
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