Crushing Reality, by Clawfoot Slumber

Crushing Reality

by Clawfoot Slumber

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roengli Absolutely brilliant start to finish Favorite track: When the Silence.

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Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
This 180G, smoke colored vinyl not only looks and sounds incredible, it's a part of a complete package that reflects the era in which it was created.

Let’s rewind to September 2020 for some background on the album art. We were headed into the studio to start recording with the full band, when severe wildfires tore through the forests surrounding Portland. Evacuation warnings went out in nearby counties and a strong westerly wind pushed the flames closer to the city. Instead of going to the session, we were packing go bags, completely unsure of when - or if - production would resume. Thick smoke encircled Portland and loomed like a heavy shroud of uncertainty amidst an already frightening global pandemic.

Feeling compelled to document the scene, Erin climbed a narrow ladder to the rooftop of our building with a film camera in hand. Improvising, she built a makeshift tripod of loose bricks and clothing, angled the camera toward the sky, set the timer and posed. The undeveloped film was then tossed into a cupboard and we left our apartment just as smoke began to seep in. It wasn’t until Spring of 2021 that the negatives were developed, revealing images that uncannily captured the dystopian period we were living in.

We picked a photo of Erin silhouetted by dense smoke and tapped the creative direction of Daniel Murphy, who infused subtle pops of ethereal color that absolutely took our breath away. It became the obvious choice for the album cover and a photo of the red sun hovering above the horizon was the right fit for the insert. The smoke finish on the 180G vinyl was a serendipitous accident that matched the emerging theme perfectly.

The fires burned for several months, leaving devastating impacts on the wilderness and communities just beyond Portland's city limits. Eventually, the smoke and ash cleared and we were able to reconvene in the studio, while donning our face masks. We were simultaneously elated by the opportunity to play music together again and still heavy with the gravity of the hardships our community endured in the days that preceded.

Includes unlimited streaming of Crushing Reality via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. ... more

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$20 USD or more
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
Limited Edition CD

Includes unlimited streaming of Crushing Reality via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 2 days

$15 USD
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
This pack offers Vinyl, Cd and Digital Download

Includes unlimited streaming of Crushing Reality via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

ships out within 3 days

$30 USD or more
Streaming + Download

Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.

Purchasable with gift card

$15 USD or more

	1.	Copy Cat 06:10
	2.	Crushing Reality 03:51
	3.	Haunting 05:31
	4.	Heartbreak 04:47
	5.	Seagoat 04:09
	6.	Sluggish 05:44
	7.	Time We Share 03:55
	8.	When the Silence 07:25

about

The third studio album by Clawfoot Slumber contains songs of chaos, love, longing and heartbreak melted down and meant to soothe the wounds of our Crushing Reality. Created during a global pandemic, under the threat of wildfires and in the midst of a shutdown of all live performance, the aim to capture lightning in a bottle was high, but necessary to restore a sense of human relationship and understanding in spite of forced isolation.

Rich with themes of failure and perseverance, uncertainty and confidence, hurt and healing, separation and connectedness, the songwriting is powerfully relevant to the hard times we have shared throughout the album’s creation. Each of the 8 movements have gone through multiple incarnations and like our own tender hearts, they have had their seams ripped and repaired over and over before blossoming at last into their fullest potential. In all of his 17 years of writing and recording experience, Alex Callenberger shares that this album is his most treasured work. Wholeheartedly, we think you will agree.

credits

released March 4, 2022

Written and Performed by Alex Callenberger on Vocals, Electric Guitar, Bow, Piano, Wurlitzer, Moog Matriarch, Akai S900 and Sequential Prelude

With Erin LaCerra on Vocals and Fender Rhodes Piano Bass, Brandon Warren on Drums, Percussion and Drum Synth, and Jarred Venti on Electric Bass and Fender Rhodes Piano Bass

Produced by Alex Callenberger, Erin LaCerra and Jason Carter

Recorded & Engineered by Jason Carter and Alex Callenberger

Auxiliary Engineering by Raymond Richards

Mixed by Jason Carter at Wavelength Studio

Mastered by Ryan Foster at Foster Mastering

Cover Design by Daniel Murphy

Photography by Erin LaCerra

Clawfoot Slumber 2021 - All Rights Reserved.

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about

Clawfoot Slumber Portland, Oregon

Clawfoot Slumber is most beloved for creating alluring soundscapes that are easy to slip into and lyrical compositions that are impossible to forget. Listening to Clawfoot Slumber is like fading into a waking dream in which your heart bursts with wonder, your eyes well with longing, and if you jump high you may even fly. ... more

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