Ears to the Ground: "Know My Love" by Weller

Weller, the new project of Nathan Toben (The Toddlers),
will release their debut album Weller, I on July 1, 2014

One of the downsides of having such an amazingly deep music scene is that some of the area's most talented songwriters may never get their due. Those that get picked up by larger labels will sell-out the Cradle, some will garner a dedicated, passionate local following, others may fade into obscurity. Most fall somewhere in between the spectrum, revered by droves but largely unmentioned when it comes to to powerhouse listings.

Take acts like The Toddlers for example, the band released their self-titled LP last October to little fanfare despite their powerful gothic dream-pop arrangements. Even with high-profile tours with acts like Lost in the Trees and the Love Language, the group largely remained in the shadow of our region's more prominent acts. Since last year's release the group has suffered the same fate as many of our local favorites and has moved on to new projects. But with every band's demise there must come more, the constant state of flux is what keeps this scene so damn thrilling.

While many still mourn the recent loss of The Toddlers, the group's songwriter, Nathan Toben, has already begun to craft new and engaging tunes. The songs found on Weller, I, Tobin's full-length debut as Weller, are deeply personal cuts that chronicle bouts of paranoia and perseverance through a shimmering and enchanting veil. The album careens through a wide array of emotions, everything from bright and lovestruck to somber introspections. Take the album's lead single "Know My Love" for example, it's a track that delves deeply into our own insecurities of moral standpoints and existential crises.

"Tell me what it is that makes you so certain man/Does it come from within?" Toben croons smoothly over grooving rhythms. The melody tumbles along gracefully, riding along with one of Toben's most danceable riffs, but the lyrical content doesn't falter one bit. "Do you trust the synthesis inside of your head/And all those books that you’ve read? he ponders, going on to question what it means to"be a good man." Toben's songwriting proves to brilliantly tow the line between infectious pop simplicity and heavy-hitting personality, making for a unique, mesmerizing output.

Weller, I is set to be released on July 1, the album was recorded at Timberlake Earth Sanctuary in Whitsett, NC with Wesley Wolfe producing. Toben has been gradually leaking more and more information about Weller through his website whatisweller.com, including tracks and an eventual full-album stream upon release. For now though we're phenomenally excited to share "Know My Love," the lead single from a very impressive debut effort from Weller.