The saying goes, “if at first you don’t succeed, try again.” That is exactly what Fletcher Howell, Garrett Garfield, and Christopher Kim did when their previous band Hearts and Hands disbanded. “It’s about moving forward, away from and without the bullshit,” Howell said, addressing the change. “Hearts and Hands had several lineup changes and we lost a few members through ‘natural selection.’ It just didn’t work. Some friendships ended, and instead of pursuing other interests, we kept going and started fresh.” With the addition of two new members, Hiram Hernandez and Corey Beaver, the alternative rock/metal band The New Low was reborn.
“The record has an overall theme of life, in general, knocking you down,” Howell stated. “Things are going to go wrong. When you reach that low point, you can either roll over and die, or you let the situations turn you into a stronger person and you overcome. Or at least continue.” We chat with bassist and vocalist Fletcher Howell on new beginnings and hopes for this new chapter.
Cliché: What makes The New Low different from your previous band, Hearts and Hands?
Fletcher Howell: Almost everything, really. The way we wrote this album and the way we do things now are very different.
How does it feel to release your debut album, Continuance, as The New Low?
It feels great. We’ve waited a long time to make sure this album was everything we wanted it to be. It’s awesome being able to finally share it and play these songs live. The response has been better than we could have ever hoped.
What was the inspiration behind “Burning Bridges” and why did you choose that song as the first single?
“Burning Bridges” was inspired by a toxic relationship with someone we were very close to. Misery loves company and we refuse to be miserable. Sometimes you have to cut ties with toxic people in order to remain happy. Sometimes you have to stop trying to put out fires started by other people.
You all got the opportunity to be a part of Warped Tour in 2016. How was the experience?
Warped was awesome! It’s a tour we’ve always wanted to be a part of, so having the opportunity to make it our first tour was a dream come true in a lot of ways. We got to meet so many new friends and fans.
What would you want new listeners to know about The New Low?
We want our listeners to know that we appreciate them giving our music the time of day. We can’t do any of this without them and we know it.
What’s next for you guys?
Touring. We want to be on the road meeting new fans and playing shows.
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The New Low Talks Debut album “Continuance” and New Beginnings: Photographed by Kyle Sipple
