Just over four weeks from the release of the band's new indie/rock single, "Locked In", the band was notified via a phone call, that their song had won the weekly John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the Lennon Prize. This has been so exciting for the band, as it was their first submission to a songwriting contest, and to win on a song they wrote on Zoom during the pandemic lockdown, was very rewarding. They remember the challenges with the Zoom delays, making difficult to hear how the song really sounded, and if their instrumental arrangement was going to work. There were times they wanted to give up and had sessions of doubt, but they managed to keep their collective focus in check, and support each other during the days they were down. and their emotions from the isolation were heightened. Writing songs over hours of Zoom calls was new to all the band members, who at times needed a nudge to remain focused after being on Zoom calls all day with school and other activities. Their tight connections and their preparedness both on and off the stage are recognized.
The band was headed in many directions on the song's general vibe and genre fit, and finally once they were able to perform live, they all agreed it fit well in indie/Rock category. The playlist curators agreed and have placed it on 50+ Spotify playlists. Not even five weeks old, the song has accumulated 17,686 streams, and the daily streaming volume and playlist activity has remained strong and steady.
The band's manager, Patty Duffey/Performers on the Go, LLC, has taken a multi-pronged approach on the song's marketing with attention to live performance exposure, PR in domestic and international publications, direct marketing pitching to playlists and ongoing social media attention. The band was asked what their target was for streams once the song was completed and they responded with "10,000 in the first two months", with a chuckle that followed. Now they are looking to reach bigger numbers, and see the song attract more attention.
The team on the new release included Lead engineer, James Zaner, Owen Korzec, and Tom Walsh, Mastering Engineer. The song was recorded at Zippah Studios, and there was an added vocal session at Sound Shuttle Studio.
The band members include:
Ava Gaudin, Lead Vocals
Cameron Hebert, Lead guitar
Cameron Fox, Bass/Background Vocals
Matthew Hebert, Rhythm Guitar
Nick Yee, Drums
The band will be performing on Lennon Bus Intagram Live in the coming days. Their song is automatically entered into the Session II contest, and they received a prize package which includes a Epiphone Limited Edition 1966 G-400 PRO electric guitar and numerous added prizes.
Even though the band could not get together during the quarantine period, they practiced each week working on the song. Once things opened up they performed in backyards, sometimes in 30 degree temperatures, and at their practice location at Onset School of Music once the pandemic was lifted, to get the song ready for the studio and live shows. Even then the singer was behind a protective shield in a separate room. The band was excited to get back to live shows, and has done close to 20 shows in 2021 with several more booked for the fall and winter.
Every part of the song was addressed with a focus on how best to position the song for placement opportunities. As an example, in the beginning of the development process, the song was long for today's market at 4:30 minutes long, but with tempo and writing adjustments the band was able to bring it to 3:27 minutes, The band also worked to shift the melody in the final double chorus and change the lyrics, to add more surprises. Many decisions were directed at song positioning and placement acceptance.
The song lyrics were for the most part created on the Zoom calls with magical input of band members when they got stuck. The lyric, "Shadows follow all around", provides the visual of the isolation and drives the emotions.
The song has been reviewed in six U.S. and international publications. Below are some of the highlights from these articles.
"The very well-balanced guitars, along with powerful drums and a well-marked bass are designed to accommodate the sweet and crystalline voice of Ava Gaudin who, despite being a young revelation, sings with the authority and authenticity of the great female names who always marked us."-Roadie-Music
“The very well-balanced guitars, along with powerful drums and a well-marked bass are designed to accommodate the sweet and crystalline voice of Ava Gaudin who, despite being a young revelation, sings with the authority and authenticity of the great female names who always marked us.”-Indie Dock Music Blog
"American quartet Catching Arrows come as a force of nature on “Locked In,” their new single. An indie rock with beautiful emo influences, his new song follows the great “Lost In The Stars” of 2019 and comes heavier, melodic and impactful. The band, formed by teenage friends from school during the lockdown, wrote “Locked In” about the difficulties and frustrations of finding themselves in this situation in the world, and they knew how to translate it very well."-You! Me! Dancing! Portuguese blog.
"Ava Gaudin’s vocals drive the song excellently, and the whole band has a level of polish that is seldom seen of full-fledged new bands, let alone a group of teenagers. They have a good flow throughout the song, and the songwriting here is something to be reckoned with. It’s simple, yet gets you singing with little hesitation.
It’s almost natural that one would draw a parallel of this style of music to early Paramore, and I would not blame you, but to even make the comparison is a testament to how good this performance is. The band spares no effort in executing their ideas to the best possible extent. It shows in the tightness of the percussion section, the guitars, and how well they blend with the vocals. The whole track sounds cohesive and musical, and the processing done on the band is tasteful. Stylistic, but tasteful. There is a great sense of imagery in the lyrics, and to have captured the essence as well as they did is what makes this song worth a listen..or ten. It’s on my playlist, and it should definitely be on yours"-Sinusoidal
“Locked In” is an indie/rock single that will captivate you with its powerful vocals, gritty guitars and witty drum beat. An ode to all the frustration of being isolated, with a hopeful message in the end. Listen now to the new single by Catching Arrows.-Less than a 1000 followers
We are grateful to contests like the John Lennon Songwriting Contest, and recognize they are a true motivator for us to advance our writing and performance skills, and work towards our band goals.
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