Arrows of Athena – Comets
The high-energy electronica sound of Arrows of Athena often draws comparisons to that of the 1990s. The inspo for the cinematic Boston alt-rock duo’s soaring new single “Comets,” however, stretches a bit further back than that, by nearly 200 years.
Combining the dramatic sonic flair of the late 20th century with a timeless and historical story of perseverance from the early 19th century is no easy accomplishment, but that’s at play in the soaring “Comets,” a pulsating and star-gazing new single that drops from the emerging band’s crystalline sonic constellation on Friday, February 20.
The ambitious and anthemic “Comets” is the follow-up to last fall’s confrontational “Abandoned Love” and a surprise Bandcamp Friday drop just before Valentine’s Day of hazy beat-driven ballad “Just You And Me.” All three tracks are featured on Arrows of Athena’s forthcoming sophomore album Daydreaming, out April 3 via Belhaven Records.
With “Comets,” perhaps the most expansive and ultra-sensory track to date from the creative galaxy of Jac-Lyn Gibson (vocals, visuals, and storytelling) and Scott Lerner (guitar, bass, synth, drum programming, and engineering), the duo take a modern and glossy sound coated in blissful noise and apply it to a tale as old as time: The perseverance, and ultimate success, of a woman who was doubted by those around her.
Through the 2023 drama Widow Clicquot, Gibson was recently turned on to the story of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, a French widow who in the early 1800s took over her husband’s wine business. Proving her worth and defying patriarchal constraints of the era, Ponsardin eventually became known as Madame Clicquot, the “Grande Dame of Champagne,” and her famous pink bubbly, Veuve Clicquot, is still, to this day, consumed around the world.
“It’s said that comets crashed into the vineyard one evening and, although everyone was convinced the grapes were no longer usable, she was certain it would help with the flavor of the wine,” Gibson says. “After many failed attempts, her ‘wine’ became popular among the elite and people would travel quite a distance for a taste of her pink bubbly wine. The story is fascinating and a true testament of what women can overcome in times of despair.”
Lerner threw down a cascade of beats and treats to lay the foundation for “Comets,” which aches and glides with Arrows of Athena’s potent cocktail of thunderous dance beats, thrashing riffs, and an intimate melodic intensity that flashes like a warm embrace. “Jac-Lyn told me about this story,” he adds, “and it really matched the mood of the music.”
For a band that draws its moniker after the legend of female strength and wisdom, relaying the tale of Madame Clicquot was a perfect fit for a duo that creates entire worlds in each song.
“I wanted to share her story and do it justice,” Gibson adds. “As soon as I finished the movie I read her biography rather quickly and then got to work in the studio. The songwriting just took off from there. It’s an incredible story of perseverance and proves what a woman can accomplish when told ‘no.’”
Where Arrows of Athena’s debut album, 2024’s The Ghost Archives, centered around death and personal loss, Daydreaming finds the duo exploring more storytelling lanes, captured through the lens of two adults juggling families, careers, and a desire to honor the peaceful and positive in a time of hostility and chaos.
The fiery “Abandoned Hearts” is a song about connection and co-dependency, and the swirling “Just You and Me” honors the feeling of living in your own world with the person you love.
“These songs are more of a nod to the happier moments that keep us moving forward through life’s obstacles,” Gibson adds. “When I listen to our debut album the rush of emotions all comes back to me. It felt very cathartic to create The Ghost Archives with Scott and was more of a healing journey for both of us. Now that we got through that chapter of pain, we are ready to tell a different story.”
And each track showcases what the bend does best – crafting loud and adrenalized ‘90s-coded electronic bangers that straddle a strobe light between noisy alternative rock and glossy pop music.
“Musically, I think that it’s somewhat diverse,” Lerner admits of the new record. “Not that we’re doing speed metal and classical. But I think there is some variation. ‘Comets’ is a good primer for the album, for sure – it’s just another facet of what we are all about. We’ll write a harder edge song and then something more laid back and softer. We do love synths and dance beats, but there are a lot more guitars on this one overall. Not by design, it just evolved that way.”
Arrows of Athena are also adding another layer to their universe, making their live debut a few days before “Comets” drops, performing Wave Radio Boston’s On The Record showcase in Lowell. Lerner has tapped former bandmates in 2000s indie stalwarts The Crushing Low to round out the live ensemble, and now he and Gibson are back on stage together since performing in rock band Pure Fiction some two decades ago.
“I am both excited and nervous!” Gibson admits. “It has been about 20 years since I last got in front of a live audience so I have mixed emotions but I couldn’t be in better company. I just need to pull off that band-aid and embrace all of it. I feel really lucky to be able to revisit that chapter of my life and to have my kids in the audience will be so great. I’m looking forward to it!”
The creative chemistry between Gibson and Lerner is palpable on the record, so it should be even fiercer live on stage, bringing tracks like “Comets” and “Abandoned Hearts” to cosmic life. What began as a studio project in the Covid era is now evolving into a multi-faceted band with the ability to connect with its audiences from a distance and up-close.
“I always did prefer playing live rather than sitting in a studio; it seems more natural for me,” Gibson concludes, with Lerner adding: “All true, although I like being the mad scientist, too. Playing live just has a different energy.”
After all, it’s in the stars.
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