Admiral Radley Plan Homecomings for Members of Grandaddy, Earlimart

Posted on Jul 9th 2010 10:34PM by Benjy Eisen
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Not long after Grandaddy disbanded, frontman Jason Lytle relocated from California to Montana and got right to work on his first solo album, 'Yours Truly, the Commuter.' But Lytle and, for that matter, Grandaddy will forever be associated with some kind of pastoral Californian sound -- breezy melodies with breathy vocals and a decidedly laid back vibe.

Lytle recently reunited with one of his fellow Grandaddy survivors, Aaron Burtch, for a side-project that also features Aaron Espinoza and Ariana Murray from Earlimart -- a band named after a small town not too far from Bakersfield, Calif. Combining forces to form Admiral Radley, their debut album drops this Tuesday, July 13. The title? 'I Heart California.' Duh.

And while all four members stand by that statement, the title track isn't necessarily an open letter to the Golden State. "No, I have not moved back to California," Lytle tells Spinner. "Yes, the song is mostly autobiographical, but not entirely, as I left out the two things that I miss the most -- good Mexican food and Trader Joe's, which does not exist in Montana.

He'll want to stop at every taqueria in sight during the next two weeks then, as Admiral Radley embark on a short little promotional tour beginning Friday night in Visalia, Calif., within spitting distance of the town Earlimart draws its name from. The rest of the tour takes place largely within the state although it will venture up the coast to Seattle, Portland and even Vancouver briefly.

The run, which Lytle says is mostly "just an extension of the promotional process," will wrap up on July 24 with a unique gig a couple miles outside Lytle's old hometown of Modesto, Calif. Billed as a "barn party," the show will indeed take place in a yet-to-be-announced barn. You kinda have to know the area to fully understand. Lytle says the night will be some kind of a homecoming, complete with "alfalfa, cow s---, plastic cups, guitar amps, potato salad, people making out, tractors and soft rock. It should be a fun return to the old hometown."

In August, Admiral Radley ventures to the East Coast for a very limited run, before Lytle returns to his hideout in Montana. "Later this year, when the snow hits, I'll be snowed in, in my studio, working on my new record," he says. Fair enough, commuter.