SPB is excited to debut “Copperhead Vagabond,” the lead single from Ben Copperhead’s new album Wailing Viridescence, a layered new album of folk-inspired, experimental art-rock to be released on April 28 via Shimmy-Disc.
Ben Copperhead, formerly known as Baby Copperhead, explains of the new tone-setting track:
"'Copperhead Vagabond' is a fantastical odyssey that is ridiculous and relatable. It's based on an experience I had on my eighteenth birthday when I was bitten by a snake. It’s also a collage of my everyday life in NYC -- like seeing someone on the subway wearing a t-shirt with the twins from The Shining, or reading The Lone Wolf and Cub series by Kazuo Koike and relating to the solitary character on a journey with his son. NYC can feel alienating at times, making you question your own sanity. I’m always trying to find “a new pattern under my skin” and grow as an artist, like a snake -- shedding and outgrowing old skin.
Aside from the lyrics, the chords/melodic aspect of the song was written within 5 minutes. The recording process was also quick and immediate. It was one of a few takes recorded straight to a 4-track tape machine, no edits, just one-take overdubs: vocal and acoustic guitar together in track 1, acoustic 12-string guitar in track 2, bass track 3, and electric fuzz guitar and vocal double in the 4th track. Drums and synth were added later. I think the DIY solitary recording approach contributed to what this song is about. My pal Euan Rodger who lives in England recorded drums and percussion to it later, which added the extra fire and energy. The animation by Brian Zegeer is a glorious gift; he’s an old friend and visionary artist. Brian knew me at the time of the snake bite and could relate to the song, synergistically taking it to its full realization.
The record was recorded on a 4-track tape machine with a wide variety of instruments, including strings, and carefully using the magnetic technology for textured, warm sounds that breathe extra life into the poetic explorations that are at times rooted in mythology and deep cultural sources and, at other times, sillier, merging folklore and sci-fi.
For example, the title, Wailing Viridescence comes from the recognition that a frequently heard sound during walks through Brooklyn’s Prospect Park were from a peacock in the nearby zoo, which Copperhead then connected to a myth from India involving a peacock that ate a venomous snake, inserting his own namesake, the copperhead, into the story and letting it run from there.
These wandering, imaginative twists combine throughout the 10 songs to tell a wider story."I haven't known Ben for long, but this LP is already one of my 'desert-island' discs. Like all great poetry, it's so full of life, it gently explodes in my soul as I listen to it," says Shinmmy-Disc label head Kramer.
Ben Copperhead has also played with Zolephants, The Stringed Serpents, A.C. Unit, and many more.
Wailing Viridescence track list:
01. Copperhead Vagabond
02. Sweet Control
03. Franny and the Songbirds
04. Moon Rabbit
05. We Stand Tall
06. She I
07. Laughing Gymnopédie
08. Be the Henchmen
09. Low Joy
10. Feline Feminine
"Copperhead Vagabond" - CREDITS:
Song: Ben Copperhead
Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Synth: Ben Copperhead
Drums: Euan Roger
Mixed by Brent Arnold
Engineered by Mason Le Long
Mastered by Kramer
Animation: Brian Zegeer
