Singer-songwriter Jason Cannata talks motivation behind Wandering Bird’s EP, launching this Friday at Pie Shop.
Singer-songwriter Jason Cannata never ever meant to tape-record the very first tune for Wandering Bird’s EP on his mobile phone. But Cannata, diva and guitar player for the emerging D.C.-based indie rock band, didn’t wish to let his motivation slide.
For almost thirty minutes, Cannata and his bro Eric — the EP’s manufacturer who is likewise the guitar player for alt-rock band Young the Giant — bounced guitar riffs backward and forward prior to choosing a tune and pushing “stop.”
The preliminary demonstration of “Say Something,” the only track co-written by the Cannata siblings, was total.
“The song really fits the vibe of the album because of what it’s about,” Cannata says. “Ultimately, it’s about the [complexity of romantic] relationships and struggling to communicate what you need.”
This Friday night, D.C. audiences can capture Wandering Bird at their EP release show at Pie Shop on H Street Northeast. The 8:30 p.m. program marks the group’s very first live efficiency and will include tunes from their freshman album, in addition to a couple of off-record ballads.
Performers consist of Cannata (lead vocals, guitar), Gigi Matthews (keyboard, vocals), Drew Wayne (bass), Larry Calhoun (drums) and Wammie award-winner Eliza Tebo (vocals, percussion).
In the meantime, fans can tune into Spotify to listen to “Say Something” and “Animals,” a tune Cannata refers to as “dance-y punk.”
With its soft, fingerpicked tune leading into a driving rock chorus, “Say Something” is particular of the album’s general expressive rock noise.
Cannata says the album’s blended musical impacts — from folk Americana to hard rock — are reflective of both his and Eric’s tastes.
“We wanted to strike a balance [in styles],” Cannata says, “and keep things simple at the same time. We didn’t want too many different sounds on the album, so most songs feature the same instruments. We wanted it to feel coherent.”
“Wandering Bird” progressed from a time of deep unpredictability and questioning in Cannata’s life. He started the task in 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic — a duration that likewise accompanied his divorce.
With great deals of downtime, Cannata discovered himself looking for methods to check out loss and discover a course forward. Music, and lastly pursuing a cooperation with his bro, seemed like the best outlet.
Wandering Bird’s tunes — in addition to its name — highlight these personal styles, specifically in the context of ending a long-lasting relationship. The band is called after an off-record tune Cannata discussed searching for his method the world.
“At that time, the world had changed a lot in ways I didn’t understand,” Cannata says. “So, Wandering Bird is this concept of a mourning bird looking for its way and trying to understand where it wants to go in this world.”
“I hope I don’t miss you” highlights this principles specifically well. The tune has to do with expecting how one may feel after a separation, assessing the complex experience of love and loss: “You’re never coming back / Time disappears / So do the memories of the time we shared and eventually the years / You’re never coming back / I hope I don’t miss you.”
“It’s sad but also hopeful,” Cannata says. “It’s hoping you can move on but not being sure how you feel yet. You know things will be okay, but there’s this longing and loss to it.”
“I really like songs that make you feel something and make you think,” Cannata continues. “Not all the tracks on the album are [as personal as ‘I hope I don’t miss you’], but they all speak to a similar type of vibe.”
Friday’s efficiency will include a various lineup of artists than the album entertainers. Cannata wished to include regional artists — the EP was tape-recorded in Cannata’s home town of Los Angeles — to try out a somewhat various, more “D.C. sound.”
“Each musician has their own flair and musical input, so the live show will feature slightly updated versions of each song,” he says.
In addition to Jason, the EP functions Eric Cannata (guitar, piano, bass, vocals), Louie Diller (drums, previously of Holy Child) and Hannah Connolly (vocals).
Connolly, an LA-based indie-folk/Americana singer-songwriter who sings backup on the EP’s tune “I Can Do Without You,” will open for the band.
Post-program, Cannata will continue composing and producing tunes for Wandering Bird, an undertaking already well-underway. He says their brand-new work is more worldwide versus personal, checking out social problems like violence and environment modification.
He hopes this technique will help deepen the significance of their tunes’ reach, in addition to the band’s musical bond.
“Now it’s more about how we feel about what’s going on in the world,” he says. “It’s a little bigger than just personal experiences and relationships.”
“We hope we’re able to touch more people, hopefully in a meaningful way.”
Wandering Bird with Hannah Connolly will perform this Friday, May 5 at Pie Shop. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the program begins at 8:30. Tickets are $15 and can be bought here.
Learn more about Wandering Bird at wanderingbirdmusic.com or @wanderingbirdmusic.
Pie Shop: 1339 H St. NE, DC; pieshopdc.com // @pieshopdc
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