Separation95 (2023)

The year is 2020 and Kendall Street Company is not able to tour as much as they would like. Rather than dwelling in the headspace of fatalistic doom, the band sought creative refuge from the chaotic world in the studio. After a week-long improvisatory songwriting exploration that resulted in the double album “The Year the Earth Stood Still,” the band was still hungry to record more music. After all, gigs were sparse and they had a lot of time on their hands.

The plan this time was to go in and cut a bunch of strong singles and not try and focus too hard on making a perfect flowy record. All five band members were ripe with ideas. Saxophonist and keyboardist, Jake Vanaman, brought to the table a few songs he had been working on: a jazzed up reharmonization of the Grateful Dead’s “Eyes of the World” and original songs “Le Shaque,” “Please Step to the Side, and “Excusezmoi.” Guitarist, Ben Laderberg, brought sillier songs to the table, “California #24,” “California #690210,” “Crab Surprise” “I rly luv u,” “Ths ones for u,” and “Catz in Zeh Haus.” Lead singer and guitarist, Louis Smith brought a Joni Mitchell Inspired California song that became “California #17.” Drummer Ryan Wood improvised an SNL inspired monologue over a funky progression that became “California #1.” Bassist, Brian Roy, brought a Latin song called “El perro triste” as well as a Vonnegut-inspired song called “Billy Pilgrim.” Additionally, the band had collaborated on a few songs that came out of practice session jams, “Bearing Straight,” “Tightrope,” and “Trapeze.” While at White Star studios, the avant garde track “How Delightful” came into being. And later, while recording in Nashville seven months after, the band recorded the song that became “Disintegration” (working title "Separation") which was inspired by a preset sample on Jake’s Korg Minilogue.

With such an abundance of material from five creative minds, there emerged some ideas of how to split these songs into distinct projects. “I rly luv u” and “The ones 4 u” were released as a special Valentine’s Day double single in February 2021, mixed by Vanaman. The California songs and “Crab Surprise” became most of “Untitled California Project” which was released in July 2022. Vanaman had a strong interest in developing the record that was to become “Separation95” and took lead on curating the song order and eventually mixing the project himself at his home studio.

All tracks recorded in Louisa, VA at White Star Studios Dec 2-4, 2020 and February 21-25, 2021 less “Disintegration” recorded in Nashville, TN November 9th and 10th, 2021

Produced by Kendall Street Company
All tracks engineered by Orion Faruque, less “Disintegration” engineered by Joe Pisapia
Additional Engineering by Jake Vanaman
Mixed by Jake Vanaman
Mastered by João Carvalho
Album art by Brent McCormick
Original photo source material from Ashley Travis, shot in Virginia Beach, VA