Petty Human Emotions has released a fan favorite new single, “Sadness,” that singer and guitarist James Nardiello said is always a banger at their shows, and translates well onto record.
“What I’ve noticed is that audiences have really connected with it, so we were excited to record it and finally put it out,” he said. “We’ve been playing it for over a year, and always our best song at shows.
This is the first single of the Los Angeles rock band’s upcoming second album titled Outside, which will be released on August 16. The record was recently nominated for “Best Album” at the Hollywood Independent Music (HIM) Awards.
Nardiello said it was clear that this would be the first new single from their new album. The song was originally written well before the band’s debut record, but Nardiello decided it wouldn’t fit, which he was happy about in retrospect. By waiting, he was able to polish it up. Nardiello improved the melody, threw in a whole new bridge and created a track that the whole band is proud of.
The inspiration for the song was having an unrequited love with an old friend, and then having a falling out in response. Some time passes, and all the hard feelings diminish, and the song is about the longing to have the friendship back.
“It has a sense of nostalgia in the feel of the song, and the lyrics,” he said. “I think it accomplishes it really well. We are really proud of it.”
The band also put together a music video for “Sadness,” and Nardiello said it has a “short film type approach.”
Nardiello grew up in the small town of Lake Placid and when he was 18 he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a music career. He was feeling particularly ambitious one day and wanted to make an album, and went and recorded it. But he wanted to get out and play live, and that’s where the band came in. As they say, the rest is history.
The rocking ensemble includes lead guitarist Austin King, drummer Bruce Elmer, keyboardist Jerry Driscoll and bassist Ayden Bongiovi. Petty Human Emotions puts together solid original songs that showcase the vast musical talent of each band member.
King brings grungy guitar solos, while Elmer and Bongiovi provide a steady heartbeat that will capture the listener. Driscoll, a Berklee graduate, gets it done on the keys and synths alike, helping to create what they describe as an “ambitious sonic landscape.”
The newest album is a collaborative effort between the musicians who came together.
“There was a lot more passion and effort that went into this one,” Nardiello said. “It is hard to pin down and describe, and I have been very self critical for my whole career, but this is the first album where I don’t think there’s a bad song.”
The goal was for every song to sound different, and on this record each band member provided one tune where they gave Nardiello a backdrop. He then went through and did the vocals, lyrics and melodies.
“I love the contributions from my bandmates,” Nardiello said. “They are some of my favorite songs to play, and a zig zag in our sound. This album encompasses a wide range and it is hard to narrow down a genre in a real way.”
Nardiello said that music has, in fact, saved his life. He said he lives to make honest, real music that speaks to the soul.
“I struggled with depression and I feel like there are times I wouldn’t have gotten through without the help of some of my favorite music in the world,” Nardiello said. “When I write music I strive to be honest, and I try to connect with the listener lyrically, but also provide a melancholic sound. To me it was always comforting, ironically.”
Be sure to listen to the track and music video, “Sadness,” available on June 7 on all platforms. Stay tuned for their second single on July 19 and the album release on August 16, with a release show to be announced later.
Check them out at the New Scotland Yard Pub on July 12 at Canoga Park in Los Angeles.
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