Rising trio Low Levee readies to drop debut EP ‘Trouble’

Meet Low Levee: an energizing trio from North Bay who are gearing up to release their debut EP Trouble on August 16th. Featuring Jackson Langford (vocals, guitar, and bass) and Alex Coltharp (drums), Trouble is set to bring a fresh sound to your future favorite playlist. Their mission?

“We’re just three dudes trying to rock as many socks off of as many feet as humanly possible.”

With a unique sound they call “fuzz-blues”, the band blends bluesy roots with a heavier rock edge. Their first single off the EP — “This Feelin'” — dropped on August 2nd, with the second single and title track “Trouble” set to be released this Thursday, August 8th (pre-save it here). Despite some challenges, the band has persevered and are now ready to share their ‘fuzzy’ tunes with the world. I had the opportunity to chat with Langford to learn more about Low Levee’s journey, music, and what drives them to keep rocking.

Tell me a bit about how you all met and formed the band?

• JL: Alex and I met at the Marin School of the Arts. We played in a few bands together in high school. Josh is a recent addition to Low Levee. He isn’t on the EP, but he’ll rock the bass at our shows. I know him from a band we were in together called Dr. Montgomery.

Very cool. What genre of music would you say Low Levee falls into? And does that differ from your personal tastes?

• Putting your band into a genre always feels kinda tricky, but recently, I’ve been going with ‘fuzz-blues’. Most of our songs are blues-based, but it’s heavier than traditional blues music. And yes, I definitely listen to a ton of stuff like that; it’s mostly the broad umbrella of rock music for me. But I also love rap, country, punk, and EDM when the mood calls for it.

I love that. So, who are some of your biggest musical inspirations and why?

• Number one has to be The Beatles for me. Growing up my mom always had their music playing in the car and around the house. Some bands that inspired us more directly would be The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age, Brian Jones Town Massacre, Death From Above 1979… I think we’re all big fans of the 2000s garage rock revival scene.

Moms are the best. What has been the highlight of your musical adventure thus far?

• I had a blast recording our album. It was high-stress, because we only had a couple days to track everything, but I like working in a high-pressure environment. I find that I need a bit of fire under my ass to perform [at] my fullest, but seeing these songs we’ve been performing for years come to life was super fulfilling.

Have you guys had many challenges along the way? How do you find the strength to take on the good fight?

• A big challenge for us — and a lot of other bands — was the pandemic. We had some great momentum right after our inception and then just nothing for over a year, but I think we missed music and believed in this project so much that we willed it back into existence.

I was able to catch your set a few months ago in Fairfax. I found your performance energizing. I could tell how much fun and passion you put in to your performances. Do you have a favorite song to play?

• I love that question. It changes pretty regularly, but right now it’s our song “Touch Me”. It’s sexy and has a challenging, but fun vocal part I get to sing. It’s under three minutes and no-nonsense. I generally like those kinds of songs that smack the listener in the face and then it’s over.

Do you have a favorite instrument to play? Is it different from your favorite instrument to listen to?

• Guitar and guitar. Piano would be second; I played classical piano for years as a kid and sometimes fantasize about an alternate reality where I took that route, but as I said before, guitar music is where it’s at for me.

Being such a guitar guy, what usually comes to you first — the lyrics or the music?

• Nine out of 10 times it’s the music first. A melody forms, then I’ll just use a phrase that comes to mind as a placeholder and write the song around that. Then finally, I’ll force myself to sit down and write lyrics.

What can you share with us about your upcoming EP, ‘Trouble’?

• We recorded this EP with Maryam Qudus at Tiny Telephone Studio in Oakland, CA. I’ve recorded with her before and she’s a joy to work with. Even though we had a super tight schedule, she kept us on task. We didn’t forget to have a ton of fun at the same time, though.

Is there a certain message or theme that you are hoping to share with listeners?

• I hope they can find any sort of enjoyment or catharsis or therapy out of [our music]. Music has been a huge positive part of my entire life and I just want to be involved in it anyway I can. As far as a message goes, I think that people should listen and come up with their own meaning.

“Art takes on a life of its own once it’s finished.”

– Jackson Langford, Low Levee

If you’ve got a little more time, I’ve got some unconventional, yet entertaining questions for you. What was your first concert and who did you go with?

• My first actual rock show was this metalcore band called The Devil Wears Prada at Warped Tour in, I think, 2010. I went with some buddies from school and we had a blast.

What is your go-to, sing-alone-in-the-car power ballad? 

• Oh man… that’s so tough to pick just one. “Everywhere” by Michelle Branch. If you know, you know.

Oh, we definitely know. If you were not a professional musician, what job would you envision for yourself?

• It’s really hard for me to imagine that, but I loved Indiana Jones as a kid, so being a Nazi-punching archeologist sounds pretty rad.

If you had to get a tattoo right now, what would you get and why? 

• We all have quite a few tats, but something kinda silly on my calf would be fun. Maybe Daffy Duck or something [laughs].

You have a favorite dinosaur, I just know it…

• It’s tough to not pick a velociraptor. Jurassic Park made them look so badass.

If you were to take your brain out of your head and wash it, would you use hot water or cold water? 

• Umm… probably cold. Seems like it would be a good reset, like splashing water in your face.

Is pineapple an acceptable pizza topping?

• Absolutely not.

And there you have it. North Bay’s rising trio Low Levee has been hard at work perfecting their “fuzz-blues” sound and standing firm on the anti-pineapple-on-pizza belief. Make sure to mark your calendar, so you don’t miss out on their music!

Artist Links: Instagram | Facebook | Spotify | YouTube

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