Hayes Peebles sure knows how to carry a tune. A mix of indie-folk and 1950s crooner, it’s easy, conveying clever insight with bare, intricate arrangements.
Hailing from New York City, Hayes Peebles – whose latest release “$57.00” (featured above) dropped on January 22nd – started out with Hayes on lead guitar and vocals, Tim Lappin on bass, and Nathan Terry on drums. Hayes was working at the Brooklyn Brewery with Tim when they all started playing together. In 2017, Hayes introduced drummer Dave Burnett and guitarist Abe Seiferth who also produced most of Hayes’ tracks at his Brooklyn studio, Transmitter Park.
Later that year, Hayes high-tailed it down to Nashville accompanied by the ever-soaring, Riding High. And it’s been non-stop classics tbh.
I’ve seen this band countless times around the city in very good bars that I miss playing great tunes with fun banter, and they’ve even been gracious enough to play a few of our shows in the early days.
What draws me to Hayes’ music above the “sparkling” guitar melodies and sock-hop vibes are the lyrics – memories, conversations, and thoughts in solitude stretched out over time, considered, and put down to paper in a way that’s simply true, like, for instance:
When I was bolder, I loved like my sister. I spun like a twister. I dreamed until the day.
– Ghosts
I dropped a dime in a cup and raised a bottle. Cause all the luck that I’ve had, I’ve had to borrow.
– Riddle Me
Loneliness is better alone.
– Loneliness
Hayes has released 13 singles to date, all of which are available on Bandcamp and also all of which I’ve gathered into a collection while I wait patiently for the full-length album.
We caught up with Hayes to see how the journey’s been and what’s on the horizon.
ID: Tell us about the process of making your latest single, “$57.00”.
Everything about this song was easy, except the experiences that inspired it I guess. It was written within the space of a day and passed the road test pretty quickly. I knew it had to be simple and sparse and I knew I wanted to record it as soon as possible. It would be quite some time before I’d end up in a studio, but by then I’d spent so much time with the song that it came together “like that.” That’s due in part to the talent of Gabe Rabben and Sam Wilson, who found ways to honor a really stripped-down arrangement with some lovely pedal steel and production touches. Sometimes a song seems like it was sent to you and the pieces fall together with almost no effort. “$57.00” was one of those, with a lockdown worth of waiting time between writing it and releasing it.
ID: What’s your favorite thing to do to spend time nowadays?
Before it got cold, I was fishing three times a week. Talk about a good way to pass time. Otherwise, I think the pandemic has really made me appreciate new music. That’s not to say I’m all caught up, but the ritual of daily, active listening has taken on a lot more meaning. New releases feel like gifts now and I’m doing my best not to take them for granted. Also trying to work through a stack of books I’ve been neglecting. I’ve got Miles Davis’ autobiography up next and some fiction I’m excited to get to after that. Any source of entertainment that isn’t a screen adds a lot of value to daily life, for me. If it’s a new release, that’s great. If it’s a book, that’s great too. If it’s a trout in the net or a new song in the voice memos, I’m having the ideal day.
ID: Anything else you’d like us to know?
I spent the summer writing and demoing and writing and demoing. There are so many songs waiting to be properly recorded, fleshed out and released. Songs with new sounds and instrumentation and new ideas, songs I love already. When the time is right I want to get them out there and hand them over to you all. Just know that if you’re wanting more, there’s always more coming. If not, they’re coming anyway.
ID: And importantly, what tracks/albums have been on loop for you so far this year? (or if you’re still in a time-warp like everyone else, just hit me with some greats from last year.)
Minor Moon has a new record coming out in March. The singles that have been released are so good and really reward plenty of listening time. That’s what I’ve been most excited about in 2021, real eager to hear the whole thing.
At the tail end of 2020, I spent a lot of time with the newest Cut Worms album, can’t recommend that one enough.
Have also been getting back into The Bee Gees, neither recent nor up and coming, but a very good time.
FIND / SUPPORT HAYES PEEBLES: https://hayespeebles.bandcamp.com/. Also, Hayes says “I think the best thing you can do to support artists you love is to buy some of their music or merch on a platform that gives them a fair share before you fall into the habit of streaming their tunes.”
Listen to New Digs featuring “$57.00” on Apple Music and Spotify.
indiedigs.com 