“Catch A Glimpse” is the first single from Aaron Ross & The Peach Leaves, off their upcoming album Swan Songs Vol No 1. The album is a collaboration between Nevada City stalwarts Aaron Ross and Farrow and the Peach Leaves. Ross is known for his time with math rock band Hella (with Zach Hill of Deathgrips and Spencer Seim of sBACH and The Advantage), and his solo trajectory has reflected a constant drive for innovation since his first release, The Hallelujah Side in 2003.
The album is the unique collision of two musical avenues that blend in an extraordinary way, and there’s a ton of history, nostalgia and innovation wrapped up in this collaboration. “If you’re from Nevada City, you know who Aaron Ross is,” says Farrow & the Peach Leaves founding member Graham Knibb. “You were fifteen and there at the Herb Shop on Pine, or after it burned down it was the Love Shack, sitting cross-legged and there was this sort of unassuming guy up there singing the blues in a way that was mindblowing. It’s still mindblowing. If you’re from here you can relate to that.”
The single “Catch a Glimpse” is a swirl of blues, soul, distorted guitars — and passion. Anchoring the swirling emotions is Ross’s distinctive voice, hovering between a tell-off and a plea, imploring his listener to reconsider how they live their life.
Name a perfect song and tell us why you feel that way.
“Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan because it checks all the musical boxes: lyrics-phrasing-melody-commentary on social dilemmas… also it’sover all a defiance against song length … after that song a radio hit didn’t need to be 2-3 minutes long …
Explain the title of your album.
Swan Songs Vol 1 is kinda of a jab at ourselves much like the phrase “Led Zeppelin “…. the definition of a swan song is somebody’s last performance before death or retirement. Hence the jab at ourselves and the further joke of adding a volume to it.
Tell us about the first song you wrote.
I was like 3 when I wrote my first hit called “I’ve Been Working in the Garden.”
Do you have any songwriting tips you can share?
Question nothing!
Do you start off with the music or lyrics first?
Music then words for me. That’s how I’ve always done it.
Who would you love to collaborate with? Why?
Rick Rubin as a producer because I like the way he works in the studio and the results he gets. Plus he seems to be of the belief that all great albums make themselves. And I’d say Cat Power or Lana del Rey as far as vocal collabs — purely because I love them and their voices.
Do you have any go-to albums to listen to in the van?
The entire Kinks catalog is all you need.
Aaron Ross & The Peach Leaves — Official, Spotify, Instagram