It took Clay Hips ten years to compose their debut album but only ten days to record it: a consequence of living in separate countries. Since Kenji Kitahama and Andrew Leavitt left San Francisco to live in different locations in Europe, they left a trail of releases as The Fairways on labels such as Shelflife Records, Minty Fresh Japan, Paris Caramel and Matinée Recordings. Since then, Kenji has been involved in various projects: The …

It took Clay Hips ten years to compose their debut album but only ten days to record it: a consequence of living in separate countries. Since Kenji Kitahama and Andrew Leavitt left San Francisco to live in different locations in Europe, they left a trail of releases as The Fairways on labels such as Shelflife Records, Minty Fresh Japan, Paris Caramel and Matinée Recordings. Since then, Kenji has been involved in various projects: The Young Tradition, The Golden Eaves, Friedrich Sunlight and multiple collaborations. 

Despite the distance, (nowadays they are living in Augsburg and in Dublin), they’ve gotten together from time to time in order to record demos, three of which have appeared on Matinée Recordings compilations. It was not until Spring 2018 that the Barcelona based label Annika, suggested the duo to record a debut album including definitive studio versions of those three demos along with a handful of new compositions to complete a full length album. Songs that include appearances by Beth Arzy (Trembling Blue Stars, Aberdeen, The Luxembourg Signal, Jetstream Pony) on backing vocals, Marc Frank on drums and percussion, Matthias Fahn and Philipp Müller on strings. The cover’s ink drawings and calligraphy by Lupe Núñez (Pipas, Amor de Dias). 

Time has passed since The Fairways days; Clay Hips is more than the evolution of the former in both form and substance. Winter can be felt now, both in seclusion and melancholy despite the first signs of Spring. Sadness emerges from the lyrics and the melodies with the gravity of some passages. All in all, it is a display of the very rich musical background of its members, shown in the album with its stylistic changes. We can hear hints of the coziest side of Sarah Records and Trembling Blue Stars in some passages, the elegant Europop (Disappointed), flirtations with Country Music (The Mayfair Hotel), Irish and English Folk (Empty Set), Vocal Duo Pop à la Simon & Garfunkel (I Can’t Say It’s Love) or even the intimacy of Colin Blunstone (The Bridge (A Song for Augsburg) and Still Dreaming). 

Happily Ever After describes in some way, the absence of a perfect moment and place, the disappointment brought on by the lack of convergence and synchrony, distance and disagreement. These are reflected in the album’s recurring themes: leaving, arriving, duration, adoration, splitting up, returning and being late. Though some moments are flooded with sadness, the album never quite loses the optimism that the title, not entirely ironically, suggests. And we are feeling optimistic about Kenji and Andrew’s reunion; they have accomplished an enormous album after years of being apart. Let’s make a toast to them and to their debut album because we are celebrating.

Tracklist: 1. I Won’t Say  2. Failure  3. Disappointed  4. The Mayfair Hotel  5. Still Dreaming  6. Someone Who Wanders  7. The Bridge (A Song for Augsburg)  8. Empty Set  9. I Can’t Say It’s Love  10. Gone Too Fast