The Crystal Casino Band Are Taking You On A Ride To ‘Maryland House’

Along the infamous I-95 in Aberdeen, MD, there’s an airy rest stop called Maryland House, filled with fast-food counters, relaxing massage chairs, and one of those souvenir stores you’re never sure whether it’d be cheesy to browse. Not quite a destination, but not quite just a space along the way, it makes sense that such a place would inspire a thought-provoking group like The Crystal Casino Band, who turn the rest stop into a symbol of progress and comfort on their latest album, Maryland House.

“We frequent the rest stop when we go to Philadelphia or New York or Boston for shows, and it’s really just a special place,” drummer Joey Mamlin tells TREMG. “There is always some kind of scene there, someone is causing a ruckus, and it provides us with some incredible stories. On the way back from our travels to the Northeast, it definitely serves as a landmark and lets us know we are almost home, which is a feeling I think everyone can appreciate, so a combination of these factors make it a very special place. Also, the building looks cool on the album cover.”

As the band’s 6th studio album, Maryland House is a celebration of how far they’ve come since their debut record, 2017’s One of a Kind, as well as the various paths that might unfold in their (and our collective) future. It also notably marks the first time that each member of the group got to sing a song on the project, embracing new perspectives and modes of storytelling.

“Jarrod and Jordan each sang songs that they had written, that was pretty easy to decide,” Joey explains. “[I] initially wanted to cover a children’s song by Raffi called, ‘Robin in the Rain’ but that posed some legal difficulties, so Pete wrote ‘Getting Closer’ as an homage to that song. I think it was great for everyone to let their personalities out a little more. You can really only express yourself to a certain degree non-vocally, so I think you get some different flavors and perspectives by including all four voices on the album.”

As much as approaching a certain rest stop might mean inching closer to the comfort of your hometown, it could just as easily mean leaving behind everything you’ve ever known in favor of a more exciting landscape or a new opportunity. With Maryland House, The Crystal Casino Band are keeping one foot in their signature sound and the other in a new frontier, pushing their artistry like never before while maintaining the charms that led fans to connect with their work so deeply.

“We are getting more adventurous with different instruments and techniques,” Joey shares. “More vocal harmonies, obviously more lead singers and principal songwriters on different songs, and we are expanding our subject matter always. Overall, I think we are just becoming more adventurous and we hope to continue to branch out in some ways, while staying true to who we are as artists.”

You can find Maryland House on your favorite streaming services now, and grab your tickets to the Washington, DC album release show on February 9th here! Check out the band on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and their website, then keep reading for more from our conversation with Joey Mamlin.

Congratulations on your new album, Maryland House! How does it feel to finally share the project with the world? 

It feels amazing. In total, with writing and recording, we have been working on this album for the better part of two years. I know we are all really proud of it, and I think people are really going to like it and hopefully connect with it on a deep level.    

Which song on Maryland House means the most to you and why? 

They all honestly have a lot of personal meaning to each of us, so it’s difficult to pick just one. I think that “Curfew” and “Quarter Life” probably are the most emotionally evocative, because the subject matter for each is pretty heavy. I think the four of us could have four different answers based on our unique relationships to the songs, but I would go with “Curfew” and “Quarter Life.” 

Which tracks on Maryland House took the longest and shortest amount of time to make? 

“Getting Closer” probably took the shortest amount of time. The goal there was to kind of make a song that sounded like a group of friends at a bar singing a song together, so it really didn’t take that much preparation or rehearsal to get into that headspace. I also think that we tried to limit the amount of takes to get the most authentic sound possible. As far as the longest, I think “Half Staff” or “Wealth and Riches” had the most complicated arrangements and they had a lot of instruments on them so it was a bit more of a production. If I had to say just one it would probably be “Half Staff.” 

Maryland House is your first project where each member of the band gets to sing lead vocals on a song. What was it like for you to branch out creatively in this way, and how did you decide who would sing which track? 

Jarrod and Jordan each sang songs that they had written, that was pretty easy to decide. Joey initially wanted to cover a children’s song by Raffi called, “Robin in the Rain” but that posed some legal difficulties so Pete wrote, “Getting Closer” as an homage to that song. I think it was great for everyone to let their personalities out a little more. You can really only express yourself to a certain degree non-vocally, so I think you get some different flavors and perspectives by including all four voices on the album.

This album touches on a wide range of subjects, ranging from politics to personal relationships while never missing a beat or feeling disjointed. Is there a certain lyric on Maryland House that you’re particularly proud of? 

“Mourning in America” from “Curfew” is my favorite lyric on the album, There are also some great references and one liners in “Jamie” and “Half Staff” that you will have to see if you can spot.

You named the Maryland House album after a rest stop on I-95 – what about the rest stop inspired you to do so? 

We frequent the rest stop when we go to Philadelphia or New York or Boston for shows, and it’s really just a special place. There is always some kind of scene there, someone is causing a ruckus, and it provides us with some incredible stories. On the way back from our travels to the Northeast, it definitely serves as a landmark and lets us know we are almost home, which is a feeling I think everyone can appreciate, so a combination of these factors make it a very special place. Also, the building looks cool on the album cover.

You count The Strokes and The Black Keys as two of your biggest influences – is there a certain song or album by each of them that has especially inspired you? 

Brothers by The Black Keys is always an album that meant a lot to me, just sonically and the attitude that they had on that record is pure rock and roll. Is This It is probably the most influential Strokes album on our sound, but The New Abnormal had a big impact on us as well.

On February 9th, you’ll be performing at 9:30 Club in Washington, DC for an album release show in your hometown! Which song from Maryland House are you most excited to perform? 

I think it’s a tossup between “Curfew” and “Wealth and Riches.” Both songs we have never played live and I think they translate really well to the stage.

For anyone who isn’t familiar with your music already, which of the songs on Maryland House would you recommend to them to get a feel for who you are as a band? 

“Twenty-something Socialist” and “Boys and Girls” are pretty good representations of the rest of our work both sonically and lyrically. 

How do you feel you’ve grown as a band since your last album, 2021’s Not About You? 

We are getting more adventurous with different instruments and techniques. More vocal harmonies, obviously more lead singers and principal songwriters on different songs, and we are expanding our subject matter always. Overall, I think we are just becoming more adventurous and we hope to continue to branch out in some ways, while staying true to who we are as artists.

We at TREMG love getting to know new artists who haven’t gotten the success or attention they deserve. Who are some of your favorite underrated artists at the moment? 

Jeff Draco, Color Pallette, Divine Sweater.

What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2023? 

More shows, some version of a tour is coming in 2023 (stay tuned for dates). Sooner than later, we are going to be back in the studio as well (stay tuned)