Today’s DJ Pick goes to Nashville-based indie groove pop band, The Rally Club. Hannah Dempsey Lusk and Benjamin Lusk, prior members of Forlorn Strangers, are the creators of The Rally Club. While Forlorn Strangers was more Americana-leaning, The Rally Club has lots of pop and funk influences to their indie music. Hannah Dempsey began as a poet which has informed her lyricism as a current singer songwriter. Benjamin Lusk has dabbled in theater, visual art, and of course music, particularly piano. The combination of these two in The Rally Club produces a fresh sound equally devoted to telling a story and getting folks dancing. The Rally Club just released their debut album, I Know What’s Real, on October 23rd. The album’s seventh track, “Cuckoo”, is Casey’s DJ Pick of the Week!
“Cuckoo” begins with a guitar riff, a simple yet funky bass line, and some warm keys. The song has beautiful harmonies and a very airy sound as Hannah takes it away with her vocals. The chorus features some “oohs” and “aahs”, followed by the cooing repetition of the song’s title, “cuckoo”. The song has a bit more bluegrass in it as it progresses, leading to a concoction of harmonies, yells and scream-like vocals before the song softens once more.
When asked by Music Mecca to define the album in one sentence, Hannah described it as “a melody driven, groove pop album that touches down on what it means to be human through songs of love, joy, memory, mystical longing, inner conviction, wrestling with meaning, and ultimately resting in Divine Love.” I Know What’s Real is evidently an emotion-filled musical journey that is sure to treat you with every track.
Before live music halted, The Rally Club performed “Cuckoo” live in Nashville, and in a van no less! Check out the groovy performance below.
Be sure to tune into 100.1 FM or lightning100.com to hear “Cuckoo” by The Rally Club, featured as Casey’s DJ Pick of the Week. And we want to hear your thoughts! Tweet at us with #L100DJPick and give us your take on the track.
