"Rich Girl" Like Never Before : Arc Iris Joins the Cover Club ranks at Cambridge Sound Studios

Arc Iris may be from Providence RI, but, for me, their front-woman, Jocie Adams, has always been a part of my Philadelphia listening experience. At one of my first shows in Philadelphia six years ago, she was a shy multi-instrumentalist with The Low Anthem. Over the next two years I would catch The Low Anthem every time they came through town It was Jocie’s evolution that really had me hooked. It wasn’t just what new instrument she would play next, as she moved between crotales, hammered dulcimer, clarinet and so many more instruments, but as a vocalist you could see her emerge.

This emergence was most stark with the cover of Jack Kerouac “On The Road”/Tom Waits “Home I’ll Never Be.” Through the years, the vocal duties on the song moved over to Jocie taking the reins. It was so uplifting and exciting, to see this tiny sun-dress-folkster of a free spirit wailing away, channeling some Janice and bringing the whole crowd to their feet.

As Jocie’s career has progressed from her debut solo album to Arc Iris, conversations moved away from her emergence as a captivating vocalist, to what envelope she was going to push next. These days Jocie Adams and her cohorts, Ray Belli, Zach Tenorio-Miller, and Robin Ryczek have been embracing idiosyncrasies, with matching outfits, while Jocie takes it to another level her gold body suit. You know she’s really hit her stride when she rocks the full-sized wings! These eccentricness are not meant as distractions, just preparations for the beautiful chaos the band brings forth.

Their debut record Arc Iris only gives a taste of their potential. In most cases taking cello, pedal steel, trumpet, & keys seem like it would be noise; Arc Iris makes sweet love with their mini-orchestra. With new material the band is taking exciting and brazen steps.

One of their stimulating new adventures, is their entry to Cover Club recorded at Cambridge Sound Studios. Arc Iris‘ Jocie Adams and Root Down In The Shadow have been discussing a Cover Club session for a while now. Each time they came through town with the likes of Diego Garcia, Nicole Atkins, Anthony D’Amato and Freeman, their live shows became more and more exhilarating, and the intrigue to work with them has become greater and greater. For a time, it seemed like a no-brainer to record Anti Records label mate and Philly legends Dr. Dog, but the spark wasn’t there. Something happened this summer, when I got the text, “what if we didn’t do Dr. Dog?”

What if?


Cover Club: Arc Iris "Rich Girl" (Hall & Oates)