New York, NY (Top40 Charts) "One night while writing, I looked up and saw my reflection in the darkened window in front of me. I felt like I was looking into a ghostly version of my soul and wondered what a conversation with my soul would be like. 'Devil On My Shoulder' is that conversation at that point in my life," says ARTS FISHING CLUB frontman Chris Kessenich. "I was exhausted with the person I felt myself becoming: detached and empty. Drinking, drugs, promiscuity, and partying were my vehicles for distracting myself from my fear of myself and my inevitable inadequacy. Writing is the most consistent place where I find the truth that is within me. I struggle to lie to myself when I write. This song was extremely important to me and marked a turning point in my life where I began to accept responsibility for my life and my happiness. I began to quit blaming others and finally admitted that it isn't 'the devil on my shoulder, the devil in my ear, but the devil in the mirror' that is to blame."
"Devil On My Shoulder," which premiered today at New Noise Magazine, is the second single from Human Part 1, the first installment of the band's two-part LP. The album's songs, written over a four-year period, each explore a specific emotion or idea of who we are as humans. Their musical mission statement is three-pronged: to help people explore and confront difficult realizations about themselves and society, to articulate love (the good and the bad), and to make people dance. Recorded at Smoakstack Studios in Nashville with Collin Pastore (Lucy Dacus, Collin Elmore) and Zach Zinck at the helm, the first set of songs ranges from somber atmospheres to fun-loving summery anthems-all with a deeply-rooted set of questions at their core. Human Part 1 is set for release on October 26th.
After landing in Nashville for college, recording a solo EP, and completing a 1,600 mile walking tour with folk collective The Walking Guys, Kessenich began to search for bandmates to help realize the Arts Fishing Club sound he had always imagined. After two years of touring with countless iterations of band members, he finally found a home in Matthew Siffert (Bass),
Peter Eddins (Keys/Sax), and Jimi Greene (Lead Guitar). The four began to plan their debut album Human.
For Arts Fishing Club, their guiding principle comes from the wisdom of generations past. "Both of my grandfathers are named Arthur," he explains. "They instilled in me the mentality that fishing is about going out every day with the intention for success. With every single line you cast, you're trying, you're going out there with purpose and intention. But, you're going to constantly come up empty-handed and at the end of the day, if you go home and nobody caught anything, that's not a wasted day, because fishing is about being out there, the adventure of it, and being in the boat with people that you love. The name of my band, which is also a play on words referencing music being the art in focus, reminds me that it's not about catching a big fish. It's not about having a hit song," he adds. "It's about going out and doing it with people that you love."
