Review: Chaser Eight - At the 426 EP

Some bands long to create music that simply presses into new territory, attempting to, well, boldly go where no music has gone before. Others seek to draw from the past, conjuring up musical soundscapes that give honor and glory to those that have gone before, maintaining their vision and creativity in the modern world. And while both ideals have their merits, perhaps the best is when bands are able to harness the past as they press forward with new, contemporary ideas and concepts, bridging the gap and joining the best of both worlds.

On their latest EP, At the 426, Connecticut-based rock outfit Chaser Eight does just that.

The band’s core of *AUDRA* and Pat Walsh, has been together for an abnormally long time, working on their craft since the age of ten. “We explored music together from such a young age,” says *AUDRA*. “Pat lived two minutes away. It was an easy connection, but we were also willing to put the effort in to develop our music.”

*AUDRA* carries vocal duties and joins with Walsh for songwriting as he shoulders the guitar burden for the band. Longtime friend and co-conspirator Billy Wang plays bass while drummer Pete Giannini and keyboardist/guitarist Aaron Tagliamonte bring their own skills to the table. The band is a special place for Giannini and Tagliamonte especially due to Taliamonte’s earlier struggles with addiction. With Giannini’s support, he kicked the habit and has found a renewed direction for himself after joining Chaser Eight, sharing, “In this band, I have the freedom to be creative and express myself. That keeps my mind occupied with positive thoughts.”

Thus, with a familial atmosphere and creative spirit merged into one, Chaser Eight embarks on their most impressive work to date on At the 426. Drawing its name from the bands signature “home/recording studio/band clubhouse”, the five-song EP attempts to honor the location while embodying the band’s overall heartbeat to craft “honest, down-to-earth music with hard-hitting lyrics.”

"We really wanted to extend the sensuality of our last EP, Up and Up, with deeper, meaningful tunes to continue taking listeners on our musical and emotional journey," says *AUDRA*.

Those tunes open with the 80’s-tinged synth vibes of “Never Enough,” a track that recalls bands like Blondie. *AUDRA*’s vocals are tight, smooth and smoky, providing her own background vocals while the electro-pop arrangement sweeps nostalgically around her before opening up into the moody, almost acoustic-driven tones of “One Love.” Walsh delivers some creative guitar fills, shredding a great solo, as the track that encourages broken souls that love is still out there for them.

Chris Grillo steps in and provides a guest vocal, his husky, gravelly voice mingling perfectly with *AUDRA*’s smoky sweet range, the two singing over a lyric dealing a lovers’ struggle over differences, wrestling to see eye to eye, over a mid-tempo roots rock composition. “Run, Run” finally lets Walsh turn his amp up to ten and he makes full use of it, his guitar lead pushing the track ahead strong while Giannini’s tight drumming hammers things home. The EP closes out with, “Without Love (PaWa Remix),” a track that is wonderfully creative and showcases the band’s eclectic style. It’s alternately moody and hopeful and ends things on a particularly high and interesting note.

With these five songs on At the 426, the quintet Chaser Eight takes one more step toward receiving the recognition they richly deserve. Making the best use of their shared experiences, love of the craft, and passion for creativity, Chaser Eight is clearly a band to watch.