Living and playing in the heart of Chicago's Veltway (a section of Roosevelt Road with a high concentration of music venues where the arts are supported and thrive), Cardinal Harbor is a six-piece, indie rock band based out of suburban Berwyn/Oak Park, with a history that began in a college dorm stairwell. The band is comprised of former college grads who leverage their classically trained music upbringing and education to create emerging indie music with a modern, independent vibe.
Euclid is the band's third studio album, containing eight impressive, original and modern tracks that combine the hymnal melodies of composer and bassist Chris Hills with lead vocalist Spencer McCreary's smooth, strong vocals, resulting in a mature, balanced sound with professional production.
According to the band, Euclid is based on a year spent in a tiny suburban house in Berwyn, and about the people there that came and went as strangers and friends. Their music is inspired by the concept of time and place - a time capsule of sorts. In it, you'll hear green, overgrown suburban patios and wax covered antiquities.
The tracks on Euclid are nicely sequenced - leading off with the atmospheric, a cappella opening of the gentle, melodic "Altar Ego", to the uplifting, catchy "Mirth" and "Revere", to the intentional placement of beautiful, intricate guitar tabs on tracks like "Windsors(S)" and "Unreliable Veins". Spencer's thoughtful vocals glide along and provide depth to the underlying melody and energy across the songs on Euclid. SoundThread's favorite track from Euclid is "Revere" - great songwriting and catchy melody. It gradually builds from minimal guitar and vocals to an energetic, full rock band ending. The resulting sound and style of Cardinal Harbor is reminiscent of bands like Bon Iver and The National. This is a talented group of musicians with promise and potential for success.
The band is in the midst of recording their next studio album at the Euclid House in Berwyn, and expects it to be released during 2017. The band reports that the record is fueled by local hole-in-the-wall taco joints and cold chemex coffee. Sounds like an album title in the works somewhere in there!
For more information about Cardinal Harbor, including upcoming live performances, visit the band's official website, follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and find their music on Spotify, SoundCloud and Bandcamp.