Arcy Drive Presents a Sun-Soaked Indie Rock Debut Album in 'The Pit'
The long-awaited debut album from Arcy Drive is finally here. The New York quartet, featuring singer Nick Mateyunas, guitarist Austin Jones, bassist Patrick Helrigel, and drummer Brooke Tuozzo, has spent the last several years building a fan base through a handful of singles and an EP. Now, the band is presenting their first full-length project, The Pit, to fans.
The album’s opener, “Under the Rug,” immediately sets the tone for what's to come with its pounding electric guitar and drums. A driving bass line moves the song forward into the first verse. Chock full of cheeky lyrics that reveal a relationship with an older woman, “Under the Rug,” introduces new listeners to Arcy Drive’s sound and attitude. “Louie” continues to bring the energy with a carefree rhythm and lyrics. In the first verse, Mateynas sings “Curse at me and I curse at you / And you know I don’t mind it too / Fuck you, fuck you,” with an air of nonchalance.
While confidence runs through the album’s first two tracks, the third, “Recipe,” gives a peek into a more insecure side, specifically the classic young 20s insecurity of not knowing what you’re doing with your life. Mateyunas dives straight into his emotional turmoil, singing, “Think I need a recipe / Can someone help me with the items that I need?” He goes on to mention the desire to “Meet a girl, buy a car, be obedient,” however, he is “Nowhere feeling remotely close to that.” The lyrics of the chorus continue to beg for help as Meteyunas sings, “Hey, hey / Have you seen my missing stair / Well, your hand / Is halfway up the rail and looking down / At the steps I’m missing.” The feelings of inferiority are emphasized with the visual of having someone looking down at you.
Arcy Drive continues to capture the insecurity of feeling lost in “The Itch.” While “The Itch” is similar to “Recipe” in its theme, the feeling of the song is overall much more positive. There’s a feeling of finding acceptance in the unknown. The song was crafted over several years, and the chorus was the final piece to fall into place. Speaking on the song Mateyunas shares, “‘Don’t act confused, I stand by you’ is a way of me telling my younger self to relax and that it’s all going to be okay… kind of.”
The classic Arcy Drive energy and striking lyrics continue through “Inchin’ Up” and “Thrift Store” before the band finally begins to slow down, albeit just barely, and take a breath in “Lights Fall.” The slightly chilled-out vibe continues in “Rocket Chair.” The band’s passion and intensity build throughout the song before mellowing back out as the question “Who are you?” is repeated to finish out the song.
The following song, “Over the Hill (Voice Memo),” is the most intimate in its production and feels like a casual jam session between the band that listeners have been lucky enough to witness. “Oak Tree (Daydream)” also has a jam session feel to it, especially the end of the song as a chorus of voices comes together to sing “What a day for a daydream.” Not only does “Oak Tree (Daydream)” have a gorgeous, sun-soaked summer afternoon feeling to it, but it has an equally beautiful story behind it. The band shared on TikTok that while working on the song, they noticed that the outro was similar to The Lovin’ Spoonful’s song “Daydream.” They played around with other endings, but nothing felt right. On a whim, they reached out to The Lovin’ Spoonful, and to their surprise, they discovered that John Sebastian, one of the band’s founding members, lived 10 minutes from where Arcy Drive was recording. An hour later, Sebastian was in the studio providing the harmonica that is heard throughout the song. The next day, they all reunited for a barbecue where they bonded over stories and beers.
The album rounds out with “Creatures of the Night” and “Swimming.” The final songs present a slower moment, where the band’s ability to craft melodies shines.
Arcy Drive has come a long way from the attic where they first started playing music. This year, they spent several weeks on the road opening for flipturn. The live shows will continue in May with the band heading across the pond, and in September, when the band will tour the US for two months on 'The Pit Tour.'
The Pit highlights who Arcy Drive is and can be—a band that has crafted their unique sound and who are sure to leave their mark on the music world.
Listen to The Pit below:
