The Casual Lean

Offering up somewhat angular yet altogether danceable indie rock, Massachusetts' the Casual Lean formed in 2003 and shortly came to comprise vocalist/keyboardist Justin Oliver, guitarist/vocalist Chris McClenning, guitarist Jesse Martin, drummer Matt St. Jean, and bassist Brian Davitt. Early shows around the Northeast Corridor afforded the New Bedford-based group stage time with bands like TV on the Radio, Say Anything, and Men, Women & Children, sufficiently starting a buzz in the process and finding them early support in folks like the ones over at popular rock magazine Alternative Press. All of the "band to watch" accolades didn't go unnoticed for long, and by 2005 the Casual Lean were in talks to join the roster of a sizable indie label. However, months of negotiations ultimately proved fruitless, and in the end, the band and label decided things would be best for each to go their separate ways. The Casual Lean recorded a cover song for inclusion on a subsequent Bob Dylan tribute album put out by Doghouse Records, but meanwhile, the quintet's completed album Swears needed someone to give it a proper release. After sitting on the album for nearly two years, the Casual Lean banded with California's Orange Peal Records in early 2007; Swears finally saw the light of day that summer.