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Lake Street Dive

Good Together – BIO

Lake Street Dive have pushed the possibilities of pop music as a unifying force, not only through their eclectic sound—a boldly original cross-pollination of soul, folk, jazz, classic pop, and more—the five-piece’s all-embracing ethos has also made them a beloved live band known for building a potent connection among every crowd. In the making of their new album Good Together, vocalist Rachael Price, bassist/background vocalist Bridget Kearney, drummer/background vocalist Mike Calabrese, keyboardist/vocalist Akie Bermiss, and guitarist/background vocalist James Cornelison reinforced the deep sense of purpose behind their output, often turning their attention to the many factors driving us apart today (e.g., unchecked technological growth, culturally imposed isolation, the cult of relentless self-optimization). Born from a mindset they refer to as “joyful rebellion,” Good Together arrives as a body of work both gloriously defiant and primed to inspire unbridled dancing and ecstatic singing-along.

“There’s a lot to be angry about in the world right now, a lot of pain and rage and divisiveness, but it isn’t sustainable to constantly live in that anger—you need something else to keep you going,” says Calabrese. “Joy is a great way to sustain yourself, and we wanted to encourage everyone to stay aware of that. In a way this album is our way of saying, ‘Take your joy very seriously.’”

In keeping with that spirit of communal uplift, Lake Street Dive’s eighth full-length marks the first time they’ve ever worked together in the earliest and most vulnerable stages of songwriting. Back in early 2023, the band’s members met up at Calabrese’s home studio in Vermont and spent nearly a week generating new songs, catalyzing the process with the help of a 20-sided die (a holdover from the many Zoom-based Dungeons & Dragons matches held by Bermiss and Kearney during lockdown). “The captain of a particular song would roll the die, and the result would decide the chords, the meter, and the tempo for that song,” Kearney explains. “We’d take those elements and jam for a while, go our separate ways and come up with lyrics and melodies, then come back together and workshop everything. It ended up taking us to new places we never would’ve gotten to otherwise, in terms of things like harmony and tempo and groove.” Along with expanding their musical palette and expressive range, that highly collaborative approach helped the band reach a new level of intimacy. “In the past we’d written pieces of songs and shared them with each other and built them up from there, but we always had the space to listen and reflect in total privacy,” says Price. “At first it was terrifying to write together in the same room, but as soon as we got started it felt so fun. We very quickly realized, ‘Oh, we need to do this again and again.’”

The follow-up to Obviously—a 2021 LP acclaimed by the likes of Rolling Stone, who noted that “[a]t a moment when pop strives for lo-fi, solitary-world intimacy, the jazz-pop-whatever band refuse to think small”—Good Together finds Lake Street Dive working again with Grammy-winning producer Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple, Sheryl Crow, Gary Clark Jr.) and recording at his Phantom Studios in Tennessee. With its sonic landscape encompassing everything from R&B to funk to Brazilian pop, the album opens on the radiant synth of its title track: an exultant duet between Bermiss and Price that arose from a happy accident. “‘Good Together’ came from a dice roll where I was captain, but when I went to go work on the production I cut it up wrong and ended up with a very weird time signature,” Bermiss recalls. “It somehow worked anyway, and Bridget came up with the narrative of two people from dubious backgrounds and trying to start over together.” One of several tracks featuring the horn section from Brooklyn-based jazz band Huntertones, the result is a left-of-center love song celebrating the thrill of defying expectation and following your heart’s desire.

Next, on “Dance with a Stranger,” Lake Street Dive once again prove their undeniable gift for crafting feel-good songs with an illuminating message. “I went on a solo writing retreat in Kingston, New York, and ended up attending a square dance at a VFW hall,” says Kearney in discussing the song’s origins. “It was a group of people from all generations and all walks of life, all there dancing together, which made me think, ‘What if we could write a song that helped to create that kind of connection at our shows?’” Lit up in lush grooves, glistening textures, and exuberant gang vocals calling out instruction (“Left, right, front, side/Find somebody new and then/Take them by the hand and/Say you understand”), “Dance with a Stranger” ultimately achieves the singular feat of inducing a carefree euphoria while gently fostering empathy.

Although much of Good Together emerged from Lake Street Dive’s incisive observation of the outside world, many songs mine inspiration from the intricacies of their own lives. To that end, “Walking Uphill” took shape as Price thumbed through her journal from seven years earlier, then transformed a series of underlined passages into a gripping meditation on the work of self-repair. “It’s about the idea of toil turning into something beautiful, so we wanted it to sound intense and gritty but with some catharsis at the end,” notes Price, whose vocals shift into exquisitely raw abandon in the track’s final moments. Originated by Calabrese, the luminous and summery “Seats at the Bar” puts a sweetly playful twist on the classic love song, unfolding in tropicália-esque rhythms and the breezy but elegant percussion of guest musician Abe Rounds (Andrew Bird, Blake Mills, Emily King). “When my wife and I first met she was in the wine industry, and sometimes I’d visit restaurants with her and we’d end up staying for dinner and sitting at the bar,” says Calabrese. “It was fun to write a love song about bucking trends in our own little way—sort of like, ‘Enjoy your fancy table with your fancy tablecloth; we’ll be over here eating french fries and having a good time together.’” And on “Twenty-Five,” Price delivers a stark and lovely ballad steeped in tender reminiscence of a long-ago romance, her voice accompanied only by Bermiss’ gorgeously understated performance on piano. “It’s about a great love that was never meant to last, but you still end up carrying it with you for the rest of your life,” says Kearney. “I thought that was a beautiful sentiment, but it also ties into the theme of the album and the whole question of, ‘How can we as a species continue to love one another, in spite of all the challenges we face?’”

All throughout Good Together, Lake Street Dive reveal the immense expanse of their musicality and expressive imagination. On “Better Not Tell You,” for instance, the band presents a ’70s-funk-inspired dance track Bermiss originally penned from the perspective of the three witches in Macbeth, while “Far Gone” serves up a bouncy piece of psych-rock exploring what Price sums up as “this existential crisis where we’re all realizing we’re addicted to technology before we even got a chance to take a step back from it.” Closing out the album with the dreamlike grandeur of “Set Sail (Prometheus & Eros)”—a Bermiss-Price duet featuring a spellbinding string arrangement from Rob Moose (The National, St. Vincent, Bon Iver)—Lake Street Dive also endlessly tap into the palpable camaraderie that’s fueled the band since they formed in Boston back in 2004.

Lake Street Dive continue to fully embody the effusive sense of togetherness and mutual care embraced throughout Good Together. “At this point our tastes in music differ more than they ever have, but we’re still able to bring all those influences together with a real love and respect for the diversity within the band,” says Price. “I think the main thing that’s kept us going over the years is that very strong foundation of friendship—everyone has a voice, everyone gets heard, and we’re all really careful about looking out for each other’s happiness.”

Credits

ARTIST: Lake Street Dive

TITLE: Good Together

LABEL: Fantasy Records

STREET DATE: June 21, 2024

Produced by Mike Elizondo

Recorded and Mixed by Justin Francis at Phantom Studios, Gallatin, TN

Assisted by Erica Block and Alex Wilder

Mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound

Photography by Shervin Lainez

Package Design by Desi Moore & Tommy Steele

Rachael Price – lead vocals

Michael Calabrese – drums, vocals

Bridget Kearney – bass, vocals

James Cornelison – guitar, vocals

Akie Bermiss – keys, vocals

Abe Rounds – percussion

Jon Lampley – trumpet, flugelhorn

Dan White – saxophones

Chris Ott – trombone

Rob Moose – strings

Horns performed by Huntertones Horns: Jon Lampley, Trumpet, Dan White, Saxophones, Chris Ott, Trombone (“Good Together,” “Help Is On the Way,” “Better Not Tell You,” “Party On the Roof”).

“Good Together” horns arranged by Huntertones Horns, Mike Elizondo, and Bridget Kearney

“Party On The Roof” horns arranged by Huntertones Horns and Mike Elizondo

“Help Is On the Way,” “Better Not Tell You,” horns arranged by Jon Lampley and Mike Elizondo

Thank you: Emily Lichter, Jared Herman, Katie Benson, Ryan Durocher, Anna “AFW” Watson, Ian MacGregor, Dave Digiacomo, Michael Darovitz, Andrew Froehlich, Kagan Trombley, James Cornelison, Duffy McSwiggin, Leigh Millhauser, Edgar Gankendorff, Michael Nelson, Ashley Jaiprashad, Margi Cheski, Stephanie Hopson, and everyone at Fantasy Records, Greg Sowders, Mike Elizondo, Justin Francis, Erica Block, Alex Wilder, Abe Rounds, Jon Lampley, Dan White, Chris Ott, Rob Moose, Shervin Lainez, Tommy Steele, Mike “McDuck” Olson, The Jenkins Family, Maeve Gilchrist, Logan Coale, Rebecca Wood, Bethany the Neighbor, Nathan the Chaotic and Makku.

Artist Representation/Management: Emily Lichter, public emily artist management

lakestreetdive.com

fantasyrecordings.com

℗ & © 2024 Lake Street Dive Music, Inc. Under exclusive license to Fantasy Records. Manufactured for and Distributed by Concord, 10 Lea Avenue, Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37210. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized duplication is a violation of applicable laws. FAN02205

Lyrics

Good Together

I know I know I’m not the first one to sweep you off your feet

But I believe we can make it

Back where I came from they’re coming after me

With you I feel like escaping

And if you stay by my side

I know a place we can hide

With many earthly delights

And even better

We could be good together

Let’s knock on wood together

It feels so good to be good together

I don’t know if it’s right but I know that I’m having fun

This might be the first good thing I’ve done

We could be good together

Let’s knock on wood together

It feels so good to be good together

I hope I hope you don’t feel bad about how good we can be

Every sinner has a soft side

I hope you don’t get down and out when love isn’t mean

Cuz I’ll be your Mr. Nice Guy

And if you stay by my side

I know a wrong way to be right

With many earthly delights

And even better

We could be good together

Let’s knock on wood together

It feels so good to be good together

Dance With a Stranger

Look around the room

Find someone’s eyes that are new to you

Might be a child’s or a grandfather’s

Anyone will do

Go say “hello”

“How do you do?”

Listen to their answer

Commiserate

Say I feel that way sometimes too

Would you like dance

And if they say no that’s okay

But if they say yes take their hand

Lead them out on the dance floor

Listen to the music

And open up your heart

Dance

Dance with a stranger

Til they’re not a stranger anymore

Dance

Dance with a stranger

Til they’re not a stranger anymore

Not a stranger anymore

Look around the room

There are so many people here like you

People who came here to be together

And dance it all away

Who wanna be good

And love one another

And have big dreams

And hard times and like to dance

Look around the room

Find somebody you’ve never seen before

And lead them out to the dance floor

And dance

Dance with a stranger

Til they’re not a stranger anymore

Dance

Dance with a stranger

Til they’re not a stranger anymore

Not a stranger anymore

And dance

Dance with a stranger

Til they’re not a stranger anymore

Dance

Dance with a stranger

Til they’re not a stranger anymore

Not a stranger anymore

(Left, right, front, side

Find somebody new and then

Take them by the hand and

Say you understand)

Far Gone

Ready or not now here it comes

Hold on

Whether or not you wanted some

It’s on

Yeah it’s already

Far gone, ain’t it

Far gone, and I

Didn’t see it comin’ and now it’s everywhere I go

Yeah it’s

Far gone, aint it

Far gone, and there

Ain’t no use in running, it’s far gone

Welcome to the deep end

Get ready for the dive

Right on

What a truly terrifying thrill to be alive

Hang on

Cuz it’s already

Far gone, ain’t it

Far gone, and I

Didn’t see it coming and now it’s everywhere I go

Yeah it’s

Far gone, ain’t it

Far gone, and there

Ain’t no use in running, it’s far gone

These melting waters on me

I wish the cavemen could see

Where starting fires can lead

Yeah we’re already

Far gone, in it

Didn’t see it coming and now it’s everywhere I go

Yeah we’re

Far gone, in it

Ain’t no turning back, we’re far gone

Get Around

If you gotta problem

Then you can be sure

Where there’s one

Then there’s more

You gotta get around

If you got an answer

And you’re standing your ground

And you know the only one to be found

Baby, you gotta get around

You might be a king now

You got the world at your feet

Worshipped by everyone that you meet

You still might have to get around

Cause all them people

That came to kiss the hem of your gown

Might wanna put a new head in your crown

And you gon’ have to get around

Ain’t no king or queen exempt from

Trouble come to call

Everybody’s got to do the time

It’s an odd misapprehension

Common to us all

That the shortest path between us is a line

If you’ve got a problem

And it’s right in your way

Well I’ve got one thing to say

To you:

Get around

Help Is On The Way

Softer skin

Harder muscles

Inner peace

Outer hustle

Spend my days

Spend my money

Trying to help myself

(Help myself)

Bigger dreams

Smaller ego

Less machines

More libido

All the ways

All the time

I’m trying to help myself

But I can’t help myself help myself help me

No I can’t help myself so help me get free

What if all of us out helping ourselves

Could help somebody else?

Help is on the way.

No excess

In my diet

But supplements

Yeah, I’ll buy it

Tonics, tinctures

You know I’ll try it

I’m trying to help myself

(Help myself)

Longer life

Lower tension

Endless knowledge

No retention

I forget now

Did I mention?

I’m trying to help myself

But I can’t help myself help myself help me

No I can’t help myself so help me to see

That if all of us out helping ourselves

Could help somebody else

Help is on the way

Self-acceptance

Got no nearer

My perception

Got no clearer

From all this staring

In the mirror

Trying to help myself

(Help myself)

But just when I thought

I’d hit my limit

I saw that all of us

Are here in it

And I forgot

For just one minute

About trying to help myself

Cause I can’t help myself help myself help me

No I can’t help myself so help me believe

That if all of us out helping ourselves

Would help somebody else

If all of us out helping ourselves

Could help somebody else

If all of us out helping ourselves

Could help somebody else

Help is on the way

Walking Uphill

I don’t know when the switch happened

Picking up my clothes and putting them back in the cabinet

I don’t know when I stopped crying

But now that I’m empty

I can just fill up my cup

It feels like I’m walking uphill now

But I’m on my way

I’m on my way

I feel like I’m walking uphill now

But I’m on my way

I don’t know when it stopped

The sound of my phone ringing

Bills on the table

The constant alarms ringing

Open my eyes

A light on the mountain

I see my way out

It feels like I’m walking uphill now

But I’m on my way

I’m on my way

I feel like I’m walking uphill now

But I’m on my way

(I quit my complaining

Embrace all my pain and I

Wasn’t ready for

What the road had ahead

Slay me play me say we haven’t got a clue

May be right but we’ll

Just filling my cup)

It feels like I’m walking uphill now

But I’m on my way

I’m on my way

It’s all getting pretty damn real now

But I’m on my way

I’m on my way

Better Not Tell You

Don’t paint me a picture

I’ve read the writing on the wall

I got me a system

I don’t even need a crystal ball

This sweet premonition

Is pretty convincing, after all

Cause I’m sure I know what the future holds

And what cards are gonna fall

Oh but i better not tell you, better not tell you now

I got a secret, baby

Better not tell you, better not tell you now

I’m gonna keep it.

I don’t know if you’ve heard

But, baby, actions speak louder than words

So I better not tell you, better not tell you now

It’s fairly hard to be patient

Waiting for the future to unfold

It’s a keen observation

Saying that fortune favors the bold

I got a prognostication

If you could give me your hand to hold

I would have no doubt,

I could go all out

But when you’re leaning in so close…

Oh but I better not tell you, better not tell you now

I caught a feeling

Better not tell you, better not tell you now

Up to the ceiling

We could leave it in the hands of fate

Or we could take a leap of faith

Either way, i better not tell you

Better not tell you now.

All in good time

I’ll tell you everything

Oh but I

Better not tell you, etc.

Seats at the Bar

Dimly lit and the music’s loud

Makes no difference to us if there’s a crowd

Don’t give your name, don’t stand in line

Don’t believe the fuss, we don’t have the time

We just breeze on in the door

No reservation, say no more

No, There’s no need where we are

In our seats at the bar

Sidle up and Look around

You and I are the skyline of this town

The fancy cars park at two tops

Topping off their tanks with Chateauneuf du Pape

You know where they can stick their labels

Just 86 the cloth and the table

Cause there’s no need where we are

In our seats at the bar

No I don’t care where we are

Cause it’s always been

You and me, feeling free

Knee to knee, heart to heart

Bittersweet in mason jars

In our seats at the bar

Is it where we met, not long ago

That we’re obsessed for reasons I don’t know

Just tell me any time, till we depart

Any midway between forever and the start

Baby, won’t you meet me, we’ll try for a corner

And I won’t need any prior warning

No, there’s no need where we are

In our seats at the bar

No I don’t care where we are

Cause it’s always been

You and me, feeling free

Knee to knee, heart to heart

Bittersweet in mason jars

In our seats at the bar

(à nos places au comptoir)

Twenty-Five

There was a time when I imagined us forever

I can’t quite remember how I thought we’d work it out

I guess I would move to California or you to Boston

And I’d learn to like to stay at home

Or you’d learn to like going out

And although the stories that I tell myself about us now

Don’t take me to the grave

I’ll be an old woman with somebody else by my side

But I will always be in love with you in my memories

When we were twenty-five

I always think of you when I drink affogatos

Cause that summer we would have them every afternoon

The hot and cold was such a perfect combination

Melt all together, bitter, sweet and creamy and always gone too soon

But all of the joy we had and love we gave away back then

Well, it never went to waste

Cause I’ll be an old woman with somebody else by my side

But I will always be in love with how you loved me

When we were twenty-five

Party on the Roof

Summer in the city

Getting hotter every year

We’ll have to throw a party

When the smoke clears

Hit the bodega

Grab a couple beers

Tell all of the neighbors

To come on over here

Cause there’s a party on the roof

It’s a party on the roof

Back at home in Nashville

We used to party in the fields

And out in Pennsylvania

They party in the steel

Well here in New York City

We don’t have a lot of space

But I know a lot of nice people

And I know a little place

Let’s have a party on the roof

A party on the roof

Oh I love my old building

On the corner of the park

Watch the city from the fire escape

See it glimmer in the dark

I hear church bells in the morning

Call to Prayer in afternoon

By the time it hits the weekend

Well you know what we’ll be doing

We’ll have a party on the roof

(Hey everybody there’s a party, there’s a party on the roof)

A party on the roof

(Hey everybody there’s a party, there’s a party on the roof)

Set Sail (Prometheus & Eros)

Hold my hand

While we land

I can’t believe that we made it

Natural explorers, we

Unnatural disasters

Beset us from the start

Threatening to break my heart

Set sail

Unto the breach once more

[EROS]

Take this gift

From my lips

A kiss can’t be lost in translation

Off into the twilight, we

So often that the gods might regret their angry vows

Hoping to join us now

Let’s sail

Unto the breach once more

[PROMETHEUS]

Hold your breath

Pray for death

Imagine the looks on their faces

Veritable monsters, we

Cynics and imposters delighted and dismayed

Look at the world we made

And sail

Into the breach once more

Cuts me to the marrow, see?

Prometheus and Eros

Be still my broken heart

We took this way too far

Oh well, unto the breach once

Set sail, unto the breach once more

Lake Street Dive – Good Together