The Henry Clay People: Twenty-Five for the Rest of our Lives

The Henry Clay People today unleash another of their raucous adventures of screaming, distortion-laden guitar, furious punk energy, and playfully sardonic sung-spoken-shouted lyrics. Fueled by the kinetically careening Brothers Siara (Joey and Andy), they’re joined by original drummer Eric Scott and new bassist Harris. On Twenty-Five for the Rest of our Lives (TBD Records) the Henry Clays take a fond look back at their twenties from the wise vantage point of their thirties. No actually, it’s an angsty, bratty scrapbook, full of cynicism and wistful regret. As they themselves say, it’s a ‘quarter-life crisis,’ brilliantly executed, with more cohesive and well-crafted arrangements than on their previous recordings. Nice job, guys!

The Henry Clay People – Hide by tbd records

“No suspicion and no more lies / we had one too many conversations / but they were just a waste of time / with nothing on our minds // we’ll never settle down / we’ll never settle for anything… whatever darkness that you fear is always there” – 25 for the Rest of Our Lives

“I don’t wanna see you / if you don’t even see me / I don’t wanna be your friend, when you only try to cash them in” – The Backseat of a Cab

“Living rooms that we are living in alone / Everything we touch covered up in dust / maybe it’s just me, or maybe it’s just us / covered up in dust // I found a picture from a photo booth / wasted film and wasted youth / bloodshot mornings in the afternoon / I’d rather wake up with you / than wake up alone” – Living Rooms

“Our friends are forgiving / they gave up their fight / said we’d kill for each other / now we leave them behind // put your hands on the table / watch your knuckles turn white / reach for something more stable / hope for happier times // friends are forgetting / they’re getting too tired to try / keeping up with each other / so we leave them behind” – Friends Are Forgiving

Through my older, darkened lens, the contemplative “Those Who Know Better,” “Friends are Forgiving” and “Anymore, Any Less” are the most touching and exquisite. A little older, a little wiser, a lot sadder, there’s a quiet resignation that’s honest and heartfelt (though at the ripe old age of 30, Joey’s still a pup). Following on the heels of more frenetic outings in the wild abandon of youth, they achieve a special poignancy.

East Coast Shows
6/26 Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
6/27 Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
6/29 New York, NY @ The Gramercy Theatre
6/30 Cambridge, MA @ the Middle East Downstairs *SOLD OUT*
7/1 Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
(above w/Motion City Soundtrack)
7/2 Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Bowl
7/7 Washington, DC @ Black Cat w/These United States
7/8 Pittsburgh, PA @ Brillobox w/Futurebirds
7/9 Buffalo, NY @ Ninth Ward w/Futurebirds
(for full listing, see their site)

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