New Year, New Bloom

_{By Julia Brunette}

As we say goodbye to 2022, it’s time to start envisioning what’s to come for this new year. Cardinal Bloom, an indie rock band based in Utah, predicts they will be “going full ham” in 2023, with new music and the possibility of an album and tour.

Made up of Joey St. John (lead vocals, guitar), Josh Thomas (lead guitar), Jacob Silvester (vocals, bass) and Nathan Adair (drums), the Salt Lake City band says they have evolved like a Pokémon since they first formed over three years ago.

The band’s most recent single, “Under the Oak Tree,” is much different from their usual “sad boy hour” sound and shares an optimistic message with their listeners.

“This is kind of our first song that really was happy,” Thomas says. “It’s exciting to do something new and uplifting and optimistic. The song tells this story about how things might be rough right now but they are going to turn around.”

The band played the song for the first time on the final night of Velour Battle of the Bands in December 2021. Many questioned the band if their decision to play a new song was smart, but they proved it was a stroke of genius when they were deemed winners of the competition.

“No one had heard it,” St. John says. “Maybe just the neighbors, but that’s about it. We saved it for the finals night and everyone was kind of like, ‘That’s kind of stupid. You guys are gonna play a song no one’s heard before as your final song on your final night at battle of the bands?’ But I think it was the edginess of it all, and we thought it was a good song, so that was kind of a fun moment.”

It was one of the quickest songs that the band created, according to St. John. He said that once the band has a foundation or chorus down with a new song, it’s easier to add in the other elements. 

The band members are involved in many other musical projects outside of the band. But the collaboration between the members is what some describe as a powerhouse.

“There’s like this weird connection,” St. John says. “Like we’re all just a piece of the puzzle. And it feels like if one of us is not there we’re looking for that piece to come back.”

“It’s like electricity when we’re really locked in,” Adair adds about the connection. “I can’t imagine being anywhere else but in that moment. And I’ve only felt that doing music.”

The band met each other while in school. As that college chapter has come to end, they are ready to lock in and take a focus on music head-on. They are excited to work on new material, continue performing live, and find opportunities for out-of-state performances. Silvester hopes that the band can perform for bigger crowds and described the rush he gets from the audience while performing live. 

The band may not play as many shows in the next few months, but fans can take comfort in knowing that Cardinal Bloom will be working hard on new music to bring to the stage. In the meantime, you can follow them on Instagram and stream “Under the Oak Tree” below!