Feature: Laundry Day
Words by Kelly Carrazzone
NYC’s homegrown band LAUNDRY DAY is serving up pop rock gritty goodness on their brand new album “We Switched Bodies”. Intertwined with delectable storytelling and a hunger for self-discovery, the Manhatten-based group (consisting of vocalists Sawyer Nunes, Jude Ciulla, guitarist Henry Weingartner, drummer Etai Abramovich, and bassist Henry Pearl) is setting the stage for an incredible year of new music, a North American tour, and plenty of hilarious moments in between. Before catching the band’s performance in Nashville last week, I chatted with band members Sawyer and Henry via Zoom about their band’s endearing chemistry, the thrills of touring, and the immense hard work put into their major label debut album “We Switched Bodies”.
It seems like LAUNDRY DAY is the band that everyone has been rooting for since day one. It’s hard not to, when a group of artists are so motivated and passionate about creating real, authentic music. In a world filled with many “temporary pop” hits, LAUNDRY DAY brings an edgy, underground flare to the rock scene. These guys are fired up and ready to show the music industry what they can do, even as young as they are.
For longtime fans of the band, songs like “Lavender”, “Jane”, and “CHA” will always be firmly planted as crowd favorites. As the years have gone by, LAUNDRY DAY has continuously pushed themselves to expand their sound, inviting elements of 60s psych rock and electronic beats into their studio creations. During 2020, the band members said they definitely kept busy by combing through their own personal journeys and filtering their emotions into new, exciting music projects.
“We basically took 2 years to make this new album because we really had to figure out what it meant to be adults; living together, seeing my friends grow up, cook for each other, seeing everyone become mature adults. That’s kind of what this album is all about. I really like the way that these songs are from different eras because it really tells the story of how we all found ourselves in this crazy position that we are in now.” -Sawyer from LAUNDRY DAY
In January of this year, the band released their single “Did You Sleep Last Night?”, co-produced by BROCKHAMPTON’s Kevin Abstract and Romil Hemnani alongside the oh-so-talented Brendan O’Brien. This track unravels the trippy sensation of one’s late night thoughts, laced with crunchy guitar riffs and crooning vocals. It’s safe to say “Did You Sleep Last Night?” turned a corner for LAUNDRY DAY, showing a newer side of experimental sounds from the young New Yorkers.
Following soon after, their next single release “The Knots” showcases the band’s heartbreaking harmonies and brutally honest lyrics. As incredible as the song is, I have to say that I fell in love with the song even more after hearing it live and in-person at LAUNDRY DAY’s Nashville tour stop. In an intimate, live show setting, the band took these otherworldly tunes and transformed them into timeless moments. There is something strikingly beautiful when seeing a group of musicians care so deeply about the songs they are playing for their fans. The connection between LAUNDRY DAY and the crowd was simply indescribable. If there is any band that you need to see live to believe how wonderful they are…. LAUNDRY DAY has my vote any day.
LAUNDRY DAY dropped their 10-track masterpiece “We Switched Bodies” in early February on Warner Records. They covered the full scope of human emotions on this body of work, from haunting heartache to unadulterated joy. This album shows off the band’s groovy side, mixing electronic dance beats, gut wrenching guitars, and expertly-polished production. You know you’ve made a killer record when every fan has a different favorite song off of the album.
It would be a crime not to include the ridiculously wonderful music video for the album’s title track “We Switched Bodies”. In true LAUNDRY DAY fashion, this video is unexpected, and yet, makes perfect sense— fully encompassing all the goofiness this band has to offer. Check it out below!
“We want our shows to be a mutual experience. I think we all have as much fun as the fans do and that’s really important to us. I like that we can acknowledge that onstage and let it be this really beautiful, community moment. When that happens, you stop worrying about whether or not the performance is technically perfect. You focus more on the special moment with the people around you.”
If you are a newer face in the LAUNDRY DAY listening crowd, their latest album is the perfect place to dive into this eclectic, American pop rock band. Be sure to stream their new record “We Switched Bodies” on Spotify and Apple Music. You can follow the band on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and check out their website for all their latest music releases. Don’t forget to grab tickets to the nearest LAUNDRY DAY show near you– tickets to their upcoming performances can be found HERE.
