Every week, the State of Sound podcast welcomes an artist from our monthly concert series into the studio to go deep on one of their songs. For more info on the live show, including how to get tickets, visit the event page.
Waldemar’s version of indie rock leans toward the sounds of bands like The War on Drugs and The National, with a dash of Willie Nelson. The Eau Claire-based band led by Gabe Larson combines soaring vocals and poignant, confessional lyrics against a dense backdrop of sweeping guitar tapestries and synth textures to deliver a sonic freight train of an album.
Larson calls Waldemar’s record Ruthless a journeyman musician’s fixation — the renegade harmonies of a self-described “blue-collar poet.” We talked about those creative rumblings, with a focus on one of Waldemar’s latest songs called “Summer Rain.” You can listen to the conversation and part of Waldemar’s set from the August State of Sound showcase using the player on this page or your preferred podcast platform.
