Nashville band drops first single after years of backing work

The Bretheren have spent more than a decade working behind the scenes for major artists, but on October 30, the band stepped forward with their own material. Their debut single, "Meet Me in the Back Room," is now available on all streaming platforms.

The track is a garage rock song with a gritty, ominous tone. Singer and guitarist Joey McClellan delivers the lyrics with a snarling delivery. The song addresses the fear many people feel about the current state of the world and the urge to form secret groups for action. McClellan sings, "We can change the guard / And rise against the big doom."

The group recorded the song at their home studio, Bretheren Sound, located in Madison. The band consists of McClellan, Dave "Moose" Sherman on keys, Paulie DeVincenzo on bass, and Dave Scalia on drums. Members of the group have previously worked with Elle King, Dawn Richard, Rufus Wainwright, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds.

To accompany the audio release, the band shared a performance video recorded live at Bretheren Sound. Director Hennen Payne and Rett Rogers captured the group playing in the studio space. The video shows the band surrounded by large amplifiers, a piano, and a tonewheel organ.

The release of this single also introduces a new record label called Hot Waltz. Parker Gispert, known as the frontman of the pop rock band The Whigs and as a solo artist, launched the label. Gispert has been a figure in Southern rock for the past two decades.

The Bretheren and Hot Waltz are sharing updates on their Instagram profiles. Fans can follow those accounts for news about future releases and events.

The single is out now. The performance video is available online.