A Story Told Release Alt-Pop Cover of The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey “Closer”
The West Virginia Alt Pop clan, A Story Told, are an emotionally forward and irresistibly catchy five-piece outfit trailblazing their way through the Appalachians – and everywhere else!. The group has partnered with the Canadian publication, A Music Blog Yea? to unleash their exhilarating cover of “Closer” originally performed by The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey. The Alt Pop clan took a different approach to the track with a soft pop rock flare to offer the original something different. Frontman Alex Chaney had this to say about why they chose “Closer.”
There’s definitely a deeper emotional aspect to the song; much more than your typical radio pop song. We’re all huge fans of the song, which was very helpful in creating our own take on it. This song is very “2016” and specific to time and place, and we wanted to deeper explore the emotional aspect of it. I feel like when I listen to this song, say 15 years down the road, memories of my life and the people currently in it will all come flooding back to me. As people we all tend to correlate music with certain times and places, so visually we wanted to create something along the lines of that idea. This woman dancing is revisiting a time and place in her life that she hasn’t been to in a long time, through dance. At first she feels awkward and silly, but as the song progresses she becomes more familiar with how she used to dance and all of these fond memories of happiness and joy overtake her. Obviously as life goes on and people move on things change. She’s dancing to an empty theater, which speaks to how you may no longer be invested in many of the same things you once were as we get older and grow. Despite the young and careless theme “we ain’t ever getting older”, this video is a representation of the inevitable aftermath.”
In 2016, the band unveiled Keep Watch, a 10-track effort that struts along the intersection of pop and rock with similarities to The Dangerous Summer and PVRIS. Off the debut, the band unleashed “All of You,” exclusively with idobi radio. The track details personal strife within a relationship, the moment it goes toxic, when one person can’t give their whole heart and falls out of love. The band details “Everyone wants to love and be loved and knowing you aren’t receiving 100% of that person’s efforts takes a mental and physical toll on you.” This track walks the listener through this trying time and hopes to help them through their own process.
Charleston, West Virginia may not be renowned as a musical hotbed, but that doesn’t mean it should be overlooked. Tucked away and nestled along the Kanawha River, you’ll find a budding music scene – one that’s marshaled by alternative pop band A Story Told. Emotionally forward and irresistibly catchy, the five-piece outfit are trailblazing their way through the Appalachians with their full-length debut album Keep Watch. And the moral of their tale: the best bands come from unlikely places.
Formed in 2013, A Story Told is comprised of vocalist Alex Chaney, guitarists Josh Allen and Zach Sallade, bassist Zach Holley, and drummer Casey Hardman. “Most of us grew up in the same town,” explains Chaney. “So we’ve known each other for quite a while. The inspiration behind starting the band was to play the type of music we enjoyed listening to and connected with on an emotional level. As individuals whose lives have been shaped by music, we wanted to pay it forward by creating music that impacts people in the way it has impacted ours.”
In 2013 the band released their first EP, an acoustic offering titled Fall Back; followed by their 2014 EP, What Got Me Here In The First Place. The pair of recordings picked up enough steam to earn them a spot on the Pittsburgh stop of Vans Warped Tour 2015, along with an appearance at Charleston’s outdoor concert series Live on the Levee. Those performances helped establish their reputation in the West Virginia area, and garnered interest in the region for their debut album. Their first full-length record Keep Watch is a 10-track effort that struts along the intersection of pop and rock. Cut from the same cloth as bands like Pvris and The Dangerous Summer, songs like “All of You” and “Cold Blooded” showcase their enthralling rock melodies, while “Material Drive By” spotlights their pop disposition.
Says Chaney, “We want to accentuate the fact that everyday life is a mixed bag of emotions and be able to provide the soundtrack to multiple life situations. At the end of the day, we are normal people that go through the same things in life as you, so we try to write music that is as relatable as possible. We focus on trying to provide this escape to others because of how important it’s been to our lives.”
Follow the band to learn more about their latest releases, newest videos and upcoming tour dates at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AStoryToldBand
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/astorytoldband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astorytoldband
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7AfFjJUvRt8r4QUj6y3-nQ
www.astorytold.com