This Eau Claire Band Muses On Being 'Neighborly'
catching up with Home Stretch, talking the current punk music scene, hopes for the Chippewa Valley, and latest EP
words & photos by Evelyn Nelson |
“This place was made for lonely losers. Just like us.” A raw, poignant cry from Eau Claire's punk, hardcore, and emo-influenced band, Home Stretch, whose latest EP release strikes a chord deep within the hearts of listeners who call Eau Claire home.
My Issue With Being Neighborly, a five-track EP by Home Stretch, was released on streaming platforms on Oct. 3. Today, the group is composed of Simon Butler (guitar, vocals), Jared Standiford (bass) and Ambrose Lucas (drums).
In the five-plus years Home Stretch has worked its way into the Chippewa Valley music scene, the group feels its new collective voice is clearer than ever — as influences from the real world intrinsically flow through every note and lyric.
The EP — endearingly called Neighborly by the band — blends older tracks from Home Stretch's Live at Abraxas Wax era with newer material. Songs like “Local Lesion” have now been reimagined with Ambrose’s added drum sequences, the newest member of Home Stretch.
Jared, too, has ventured into songwriting with “Won't Last,” a track he developed with the support of Simon — whose songwriting for the band seems as abundant as the flow of beer for Eau Claire's “barflies.”
These “hometown punks” — or perhaps up-and-coming “hometown heroes” — each offer a unique perspective on what it means to be “neighborly” in their latest EP.
“When you think of a neighbor, you should be friends with (them),” the trio agreed. “It’s a lot harder to do that nowadays because people are so enclosed in their own worlds and don’t want to venture out, talk to people, and make those relationships.”
In the past year, as Home Stretch wrote and recorded the EP, they individually referenced fleeting relationships and a perceived inauthenticity of suburban values through the music. Sometimes, as Jared lamented, “I just legit have an issue with my neighbor.”
Their stories, Simon said, emerge at a time when Eau Claire's arts scene is experiencing a new wave of young, independent, alternative bands — and the growing presence of social-political discussions within their respective circles.
At the same time, Home Stretch celebrates the city's creatives and growing local economy; they recognize the importance of supporting one another even in changing landscapes.
“We all grew up around here and we've seen how much this community has changed,” Simon said. “Over the course of my life I have seen Eau Claire survive; it’s pretty cool to see genuine, local people (who are) doing their thing and enjoying it.”
Amidst these deeper themes, in recent live shows, music videos for Neighborly, and even during the interview for this very story, Home Stretch maintains a lighthearted approach, prioritizing laughter and good memories over an all-serious image.
Following the EP’s release, the group has been on and off the road for a regional tour across the state. Home Stretch will hold its official Eau Claire release show on Oct. 29 at The Venue (209 Graham Ave., Eau Claire). The three-piece band will share the stage with fellow do-it-yourself music scene artists, Off With Their Heads and SMUG.
These twenty-something punk artists offer one key takeaway: “everyone should get a shot” at creating their own unique sound. My Issue With Being Neighborly emphasizes that no single genre — or even type of neighbor — is superior, and encourages a focus on individual (as well as collective) expression over rigid categorizations.
Listen to My Issue With Being Neighborly by Home Stretch, now available online through DistroKid and most major streaming platforms. Tickets for the Oct. 29 release show can be purchased online via volumeonetickets.org.
