29-07-2025
Live Wire: Ware River Club celebrates 25th anniversary of second album
There's a cliché that says bands' second albums are never as good as their first because they had all the time in the world to create the first one but often rush to release their sophomore efforts.
Ware River Club certainly didn't adhere to any of that conventional wisdom. First, the group took three years to record its second record, 'Don't Take It Easy,' and the results were deemed every bit as good as the inaugural album, 'The Bad Side of Otis Ave.'
The band will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of 'Don't Take It Easy' with a show at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton on Aug. 8 at 7 p.m.
Lead singer and songwriter Matt Hebert talked about the album in a recent interview with The Republican.
Q: 'The Bad Side of Otis Ave.' featured a wide array of players, including local legend Ray Mason and renowned drummer Keith Leverault, but by the time of the second album, the band had changed and coalesced into a more permanent unit. How did that solidifying of the lineup happen?
A: After we made 'Bad Side,' we started playing locally and had a few shows in New York and Boston with the original lineup. We felt like we had something we wanted to take a little further and start doing some touring and started to travel down to SXSW and the Carolinas.
Ray and Keith were both incredibly busy musicians. We needed to find a rhythm section that could commit to a lot of shows per year. Don McAulay had just auditioned for Cheri Knight's band and she introduced us. Matt Sharff was tight with Don and playing with the Johnson Boys, who we knew. We all got along well and liked a lot of the same music. It clicked.
Q: How do you think that solidified lineup affected the sound and mood of 'Don't Take It Easy'?
A: The rhythm section changed, but myself, Matt Cullen and Bob Hennessy were still writing in a very similar style as 'Bad Side.' I guess the biggest change is that we played a bunch of shows before going into the studio. 'Don't Take It Easy' is a natural follow-up to 'Bad Side.' It's really not that different in style or vibe. There may be a tiny bit more Replacements in there.
Q: Did the new lineup change your approach to arranging the songs or what you wanted to hear musically?
A: It didn't. It was more about us all catching our groove as a band. I think we had it with 'Bad Side,' and I think we found it with 'Don't Take It Easy.' We're talking about Ray Mason and Keith Leverault as a rhythm section and Don McAulay and Matt Sharff as rhythm section. Everyone involved are such solid players.
Q: What made that album particularly memorable to you?
A: I think this album has some of our best songs, and it was scrappy in all the best ways. Bob and Matty both brought bangers to the table. There are four songs on this record that I consider among my best, and I still perform regularly. 'Bed' is probably the song I'm most proud of.
Q: Looking back to 25 years ago, has your songwriting changed much since those days, and if so, how?
A: My process is so different now. It's way more regimented and organized. In my 20s, I threw everything at the wall. I'm a bit more thoughtful these days. I write on a schedule. I put time aside daily to write and edit. It sounds precious but it keeps me focused.
Q: Your third album, 'Cathedral,' came out just a few years later and was the band's swan song. Any thoughts of recording as a band again in the future?
A: Ummm. That might happen that day after the Iron Horse! (Hebert then makes an imaginary aside comment to the co-owner of Northampton's SpiritHouse Music recording studio): You have everything wired up Danny Bernini?
Read the original article on MassLive.
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