Today, September 7, marks the release of “There’s A Difference,” THE CRYSTAL METHOD‘s second single from their new album THE TRIP HOME (out September 28 on Tiny E Records). The song, available now as an instant-grat, launches the album’s pre-order here.
“There’s A Difference” features Franky Perez on lead vocals with production from Scott Kirkland (The Crystal Method) and Glen Nicholls. The track is a full-on alt rock hybrid that mixes melodic electronics, pulsing bass via Tony Buchen, punching live drums from Matt Chamberlain, and riveting vocals from Perez (Apocalyptica, Scars On Broadway). “There’s a Difference” is both cinematic and theatrical as it reaches toward progressive crossover territory in its delivery of chainsaw guitars, and crunching electronic production.
Perez (a longtime friend of the band) tells the story of the how the track evolved and what it means to him:
“Five years ago I woke up detoxing on the floor of a holding cell in the Clark County Detention Center (Las Vegas. I’d racked up a slew of charges and was facing ten years in prison. I was a bottom feeding addict who literally and figuratively had finally hit bottom. As soon as I was transferred to my own cell, I got on my knees and prayed to whatever was out there in the ether that if I was able to walk out a free man that I would do everything ‘Different’ and contribute to the world instead of only taking from it.
Six months later while in sober living I received an email from a mutual friend of Scott Kirkland and I regarding a possible collaboration between myself and The Crystal Method. When I heard the track I knew immediately that I wanted to be a part of it and I knew exactly what I wanted to write about. I wanted the lyrics to not only reflect where I’d been but more importantly where I was going.
Within a week of receiving the track, I asked for a six-hour pass from my court-mandated sober living so I could drive to Scott’s studio and record. Within a couple of hours we hashed out the parts, tweaked the lyrics, and laid down the vocal. The vocal performance and lyrics on ‘There’s a Difference’ may be the most honest I’ve ever recorded. The man on that track is fighting for redemption. Five years later here we are… I’m sober and living a productive life, my legal troubles a are far behind me, ‘There’s a Difference’ is the lead single from The Crystal Method’s new album, and Scott is a dear friend.”
Adds Kirkland: “‘There’s a Difference’ is dedicated to all those who continue to fight and battle addiction because (to quote the song) ‘Old Bad Habits Are Hard To Break but There’s Something Good In The Distance And It’s Different‘”
Equal parts throwback and dynamic futurism, THE TRIP HOME expands Kirkland‘s unrestrained curiosity into new realms and new sounds. To perfect this fine balance, Kirkland took a back-to-basics approach, which saw him firing up his arsenal of analog synths and reconnecting with his collection of vintage gear
THE TRIP HOME is a warm embrace of organic electronic music. The natural noise of analog gear is part of the sound. “I’m always looking for just the right amount of wrong,” Kirkland says. “I’m really proud of all the collaborations and incredibly talented artists who contributed to THE TRIP HOME. I wanted to make a timeless album that sounded great and that conveyed an emotional narrative and a strong appreciation of the album format.”
“I wanted to create a timeless concept album,” Kirkland says, “a project that speaks to what’s going on in my life right now and a vision that also brings THE CRYSTAL METHOD sound forward and shapes it in a new way. I’ve been enjoying the idea of making an album like our debut album Vegas, where every song is different. Every song has a different BPM, every song has different emotions, every song has different elements.”
Track listing:
- The Raze
- Holy Arp
- Moment Of Truth
- Ghost In The City
- Turbulence
- Carry-On
- The Drive Inside
- Chapter One
- Cabin Pressure
- There’s A Difference
- Hold On To Something
- Let’s Go Home
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