Cool and confident about their sizzling musical chemistry, eclectic Ohio based modern/alt rockers Lithium Seven named themselves after a primordial element that only exists in the form of a compound—and like everything in nature, they’re always open to and primed for some fascinating, unexpected musical evolution.

We can’t say the multi-talented foursome didn’t prep us for this. Vocalists and guitarists Shawn and Soren Gormley, multi-instrumentalist Jim Armstrong (vocals, bass, mandolin, keyboards, guitar) and drummer Jon Carroll called their 2010 debut EP Something Else is Waiting. That highly anticipated “something” is their infectious and diverse follow-up EP Last Light—a powerful five track set that reflects Lithium Seven’s emergence from “indie folk rockers” to powerfully produced, super melodic but frequently explosive pop/rock perfect for fans of Triple AAA, Hot AC and Modern Rock.

Considering the response to the previous EP, Lithium Seven could have easily rested on their laurels. Tracks from Something Else Is Waiting received airplay on over 30 non-commercial Triple AAA/Americana stations, charted on the Americana Music Association airplay chart and received spins as far away as Australia. But the “Butterfly Effect” is more than just a brooding, percussive electric guitar driven rock gem on the EP—it’s a title that reflects their open-mindedness about letting that chemistry lead them to deeper places in their creativity. They allowed the songs to journey to unexpected places and take on a life of their own. Because they were fearless in their efforts to help every song reach its full emotional potential, they might start out with one vibe before shifting into a whole new sonic place.

Soren says, “This whole collection of songs is about growth and unexpected transformations,” a sentiment echoed by Jon, who sent a text to his band mates after mastering the tracks which read in part: “Hearing the album as an assemblage for the first time is quite something. The interplay between songs revealed itself for the first time. You can hear the experimentation. This clearly documents us, for better or worse, present in our moment.”  

“Last Light” is an existentially aware, mid-tempo tune (driven by a hypnotic lead guitar line) about the “fallen angels” of history who took a different path than the rest of us, showing the greater potential of humanity to those who would listen. Just as “Butterfly Effect” morphed from a folksy tune into a fiery rocker, “Stolen Car” also added new dimensions as the band took different approaches during its development. Driven by rumbling, tribal percussion, it’s a raw, organic rocker about the push and pull, separation and re-connections in a developing romantic relationship. In line with the band's collaborative nature, a close friend, guitarist and songwriter Jeff Allison (formerly of Cellophane Flowers), wrote and recorded the guitars on the track “Unfasten.” Jeff's guitar lines added rhythmic punch and melodic counterpoints to the pop-rock vibe of the song.  On the graceful, more introspective “Hemingway,” Lithium Seven uses the famous author’s talent for clarity and lucidity in describing things as a metaphor for opening our eyes and uncovering the truth of what is before us.  

Lithium Seven evolved from the remains of the Gormley Brothers’ previous band, Emily’s Motives, whose live show was “intimate, sonically rich and deeply inspiring…The parts all gel like they’ve done this together all their lives” (Rick Gray, The Music Café). The Gormleys took their craft to an even deeper level when they began collaborating with the multi-talented Armstrong, whose keen melodic sense and ability to play so many different instruments complemented the brothers’ stripped back acoustic vibe; Armstrong previously worked with such acts as Moriah, Ebbenflo and The Lisa Travis Band. The trio released the all-acoustic 7-track album Spills Like Wine, whose song “November Leaves” was later used in director Rick Davis’ independent film “The Promise.” A few years later, versatile drummer Carroll (formerly of Kill Osker and DragStrip 77) joined the band. His rhythmic contributions took the group to a new level, inspiring an exploration of what they call “new sonic geographies.”

Discussing the unique experience of writing and producing Last Light, bassist Jim Armstrong says, “I think the most exciting part of the process was taking the basic elements of these songs and working things out in interesting ways, trying new things until they took on a form we could be truly excited about. Mixing them was great too, because we could really hear the fruits of our labor for the first time.” Shawn adds, “This EP for us is all about communication and discovering a lot of fascinating things about ourselves as musicians and people. We’ve been working together a long time but in some ways, this project allowed us to speak to each other through music in a way that was deeper and more intimate than ever before.”

About the name...

According to theory, lithium was one of the few elements synthesized in the Big Bang. 7Li is one of the primordial elements, or, more properly, primordial isotopes, produced in Big Bang nucleosynthesis... 

-- we liked the primordial element concept, because the bond that we feel with each other and the chemistry between us feels very primordial.

7Li is stable with 4 neutrons...

-- we have 4 members that keep the band balanced and stable.

Due to its high reactivity it only appears naturally in the form of compound...

-- much like our musical creations, they are only forged through combining our individual efforts and experiences.