Erica was one of the first completed songs Phil and I made together.
We wrote it as sort of a sentimental tribute to lost feelings of youth and love, mixing our perspectives together into one voice, and named it Erica because neither of us knew anyone with that name at the time.
It had a country flavour as we built it that, me not being much of a fan of country, I always found myself pushing against.
Acoustically, it was a fun song to play with both of us playing off of each other's rhythm in an upbeat swinging style.
Sometimes we'd treat it more like a ballad in a more cushiony soft style.
Sometimes we'd go full on country rock.
That was an issue in the studio, where I had a lot of trouble finding the right sound for this song, to the point of almost removing it from the release a few times because tonally it just didn't seem to fit.
The guitars, bass and drums were exactly what I wanted, but there was something chaotic I was hearing in my head, so I added some trumpets.
That didn't work, but I moved on anyway for a while and, late in production, John got me thinking about the song in a whole new way.
Once it finally clicked I knew it was because this was always meant for Phil to sing, and for him to develop with his soulful and slightly country style.
I had to change it to my style, to my personality, and also fix the trumpets.
And it had to be remixed from scratch.
A few months before release.
The new vocals went on pretty quickly considering I was completely changing it by leaning toward more of an introspective Cajun inspired feel.
I put on some new instrumentation for the horns and percussion as John remixed from scratch and, about a month before release, it was a whole new thing.
It's a song rebuilt on top of another song and I feel that it's one of the most unique sounding tracks on the album with some really interesting, classically inspired stuff going on.
Erica
lyrics
With passion and youth we made love by the pool in the warm spring air.
We'd sneak out of school and break all their rules, we had love to spare.
Then I withdrew and one became two in disrepair.
But, you played it cool when I turned the fool.
It was so unfair.
Erica
Wish I could rewind, no longer pine and be led astray.
I'd ask myself why you're no longer my lady and I must close my eyes to envision my Aphrodite.
With a wave and a sigh, oceans of time swept you away.
Erica
The years passed us by while you held on tight to someone else.
Awake in the night, I'm trying to reunite myself.
And there's a burning desire for those sapphire eyes again.
Well, I'd walk on that wire, I'd walk through that fire for you again.
Erica
credits
from Let Me Go,
released March 19, 2024
Written by Jean-Pierre Larda & Phil Short
Vocals/Percussion/Synth - Jean-Pierre K. Larda
Drums - Aaron Spink
Guitars - Sean Roberts
Guitars/Keyboard/String Arrangement - John MacLeod
Bass - Alex Paris
Produced by Jean-Pierre K. Larda
Additional Production by John MacLeod
Recorded at Artist Development Studio, Courtice
Engineered by Alex Paris
Mixed and mastered by John MacLeod at Sweet Daddy Sound, Ajax
Rising Philadelphia band balance oversized pop punk hooks with vivid, intimate lyrics, presenting a raw, honest vision of guitar music. Bandcamp New & Notable Mar 30, 2022
