Tomatoband released its latest single “Eastside Bagel” on March 24 on YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify and BandCamp. This track is just a preview of the band’s upcoming LP, Bocadillo, which the band recorded with Coast Records in January.
The band’s latest record features new bassist Paul Joliet and took just two days of recording and one day of overdubs to create, according to keyboard player Alex Irwin.
Unlike most new records, Bocadillo will feature many tracks fans are already familiar with. The record is a hodgepodge of new songs and tracks that the band has written, but never recorded, over the last 10 years. “One cool thing for us about this record is that these songs have all been played in our live rotation,” Irwin said in an interview with S.C. music blog Extra Chill. “Some were written 10 years ago, some were written five years ago and some are fresh and new, but we played all of them live.”
“Eastside Bagel” is one of the latest tracks on the album, inspired by former bagel shop in downtown Charleston. The single has an easy, head-nodding bass line with smooth guitar solos and funky keyboard licks. Halfway through, the track evolves into more of a psychedelic jam session before bringing the listener back into the upbeat, easy listening groove from the start of the track.
Though the bagel shop itself sparked the idea for the track, Irwin says the song also draws on the overall vibe of the Eastside and encompasses themes of inclusion and open-mindedness.
“When you go somewhere that much, you get to know the people, and the people at that shop were so kind and open-minded,” said Irwin. “There was an energy to that place, and I walked out of there one day singing to myself, ‘I’m chewing on this bagel from the Eastside…’ I wanted to make a song for them.”
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