Cal in Red Recruit The Shin's James Mercer For 'Kitchen'

(Chromatic) Cal in Red today released their new single "Kitchen Ft. James Mercer," the latest track previewing their forthcoming debut album Low Low, due out August 30th via B3SCI Records. The song is a full circle moment for brothers Connor and Kendall Wright: Mercer originally discovered the Grand Rapids, MI duo while they were in their previous band, Mertle, and won The Shins' 2017 Van Contest with a cover of "Painting a Hole."

A longtime inspiration for the brothers, Mercer's silky harmonies elevate the dreamy song's rugged emotions. "We like to call 'Kitchen' our 'country song,' kind of," Kendall explains. "Sonically, it's a pivot from everything that the band has been up to this point. It's a breakup song at its core, but one where you're witnessing it from outside ruins. Having lived with two friends in love and then watching it crumble, the song came easy.

One of my favorite break-up songs is 'Gone for Good' by The Shins. It's another song that sits comfortably in its country undertones. I've always loved James Mercer's ability to be so specific in his voice, to make something that feels like it came from an innermost place and still have it be so relatable and obtainable. We ended up tossing a Hail Mary and asked James if he would lend his vocals on the song and to our surprise, he said yes. Everything he added was gold. His ability to give a song exactly what it needs is super special."

Mercer adds: "I've loved watching Cal in Red develop the past few years and after hearing 'Kitchen,' and the record, I was happy to get to collab!"

"Kitchen Ft. James Mercer" follows the album's blissed-out lead single "She Won't Say" and other album tracks "Boyfriend," "Zebra," and "Habits." After wrapping up a headlining U.S. tour in June, Cal in Red will next play at Detroit's The Eastern on August 2nd, where they'll preview the new LP.

Although there's an enviable ease to their music, it took a vigilant four-year creative process to create Low Low. "We gave in to some musical urges we never would've before," says Kendall. To that end, the 10-track LP dabbles in a bit of '90s indie-rock, makes a brief detour to the '80s, and even explores some twang. Still, they never lose their way: At heart, these are melodic vignettes that feel as though they've been put through a dream-glow filter.

Live, you'll see Kendall on guitar, with Connor on bass and synths. But at home, both pen tracks, with Kendall taking over most lyrical and vocal duties-though Connor, who produces the tracks, sings roughly a third of them. The brothers have been making music together for eight years now, first in Mertle and, for the past five years, as Cal in Red (they never played together until their cousin recruited them for Mertle, Connor was still in high school at the time). This intangible bond, it turns out, is their superpower. "Communication with siblings is completely different than with anyone else," Connor adds, appreciatively. In the end, "We have a similar perspective, a similar end goal." They even share the same inspirations: Porches, Tame Impala, Husbands, The Strokes, MGMT, and French Cassettes, to name a few. "We fall in love with songs and artists, and we want to be that same thing for other people," he says, of their knack for irresistible, joyous melodies. "That definitely transferred to how we write music. If we're writing a song, it needs to be the best song."

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