Hembree share with us today the news of their forthcoming debut album, House on Fire, which is set to release by Thirty Tigers on April 26th. Here first, the band released the first single, “Culture”.
“These days we put so much emphasis on things that lack actual significance. Everything is urgent and I wanted to try to capture this urgency in a song and question what we prioritize. It’s about taking the time to stop and reflect; to think for yourself and establish your own opinions. The song also touches on the lengths people go to for status and power. There’s the realization that these qualities don’t actually equal happiness. Thus, ‘the king of the culture is never really free…’” states Isaac Flynn.
Listen to ”Culture” below.
“Culture” is the newest single to be heard from Kansas City, MO’s Hembree since 2018, when the group was dubbed one of NPR’s “Slingshot Artists.”
Hembree was a project of Flynn’s after his previous band broke up. He wanted to perfect his profession, so he held off any sort of group project until three years of what he calls “songwriting boot camp.” Flynn wanted his project to come to life as a group effort, despite Hembree being his. He draws inspiration from the likes of Tom Petty, John Lennon, and Bruce Springsteen. Hembree consists of Flynn on guitar and lead vocals, Garrett Childers who plays bass and backup vocals, Eric Davis playing keys/syth, and brothers Alex and Austin Ward on guitar and drums.
Hembree gained attention after Flynn shared “Can’t Run Forever” on Soundcloud in 2015. Despite the attention, Flynn wanted to spend the time to form the proper sound and promote growth within the band to perfect their music.
Hembree began to foster their music by working on new songs and playing live, which eventually led to the release of an EP with Domino Records imprint Ribbon Music. Singles such as “Hold Water”, “Had It All”, and “Continents”, turned heads and nudged them into the spotlight. “Holy Water” became the first single to reach the radio, playing first on local stations, to which it later reached a regional and national following. The song later gained attention from the likes of Spotify, Apple, Rolling Stone, and NPR. All of the attention led HemBree to sign with Nashville-based Thirty Tigers label.
While releasing singles and becoming an up-and-coming band, Flynn focused on creating on what would later become House on Fire. Wokring closely with Eric Hillman, who helped with the release of their prior singles, Flynn sculpted Hembree’s sound to a central theme.
“The album is agouti being from the midwest and owning it, but at the same time being torn by whether or not it’s where we’re supposed to be” he says. “I’m 27 but I feel like it’s a coming of age record, too.”
Hembree’s debut album consists of ten songs that show the band’s confidence and self assuredness, even while being uncertain with themselves. House on Fire shows the growth of the band, and how even the most difficult mountains can be moved.
House On Fire track listing:I Don’t Know WhyCultureRight TimeSkylineHeartContinentsAlmostNever See ItSymmetry LineHouse On Fire