Overhead shares new music and announces show

After nearly two decades of quiet, Now It’s Overhead is back with fresh music, leading a revival of their indie rock/indietronica sound. The band has released a new digital EP titled in the beginning, featuring brand-new tracks that offer a deep dive into the creative process and personal history.

eleven-seven-thirty-five is one of the standout pieces on the release, offering an intoxicating blend of charged curiosity and wonder. Released digitally and slated for release via Saddle Creek on September 18, the EP compiles new material alongside intriguing bonus tracks like “the garden house,” which was originally released as part of a fundraising effort for Brian Eno’s EarthPercent Foundation, and “Dark Cycle” from the Saddle Creek 50 compilation.

The project is also celebrating a significant milestone: the first-ever vinyl pressings of their three studio albums—self-titled (2001), Fall Back Open (2004), and Dark Light Daybreak (2006). These foundational works have been remastered by LeMaster, making them available for pre-order through the EP release.

The new music brings a fascinating look back at the band’s origins. The track eleven-seven-thirty-five was conceived and recorded during the same period as the material that eventually made their debut album, positioning it as an earlier, yet equally potent, piece of the ongoing narrative. LeMaster shared that rediscovering the song recently brought back memories of the excitement and uncertainty of that time, revealing lyrics that capture a yearning for love and connection amidst a journey of self-discovery as a queer person.

The recording process itself was a delightful throwback to analog methods; Lead singer Andy LeMaster and collaborator Clay handled the drums and the rest of the instrumentation. LeMaster fondly recalled the hands-on experience of manually syncing tape machines to samplers to blend, bend, and manipulate vocal samples, creating a lush yet trippy bridge that defined the track.

This exciting new chapter culminates in a live performance. Now It’s Overhead will mark their first live show in nineteen years this fall, taking the stage at the 40 Watt Club on October 10.

The complete tracklist for in the beginning includes: 1. eleven-seven-thirty-five, 2. sigh let go, 3. the garden house, 4. Dark Cycle, and 5. a cover of The Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love.”