Clem Snide First Record in Five Years, Single “Some Ghost” Features Scott Avett

Eef Barzelay has not had the best of luck, he had fallen on hard times to say the least.  He faced a broken marriage, a housing crisis and watched his band come to an end all leading up to a dreadful bankruptcy.  In spite of his struggles, he emerged and with a new sense of musical purpose. His performance moniker, Clem Snide, has now launched the first release in over five years, titled Forever Just Beyond.

Barzelay celebrates his record with the launch of a third single “Some Ghost”, a song co-written with Scott Avett, who adds featured vocal harmonies and a certain compelling essence to the song, rooted in the pair’s profound creative connection.  

“Avett and I wrote this one together and it closes the record,” said Barzelay.  “I think of it as an internal argument between the various voices in our head.  One of them has to win out in the end so better to hope it’s the godly one.  ‘I won’t rest until the pain is memorized, the door was unlocked all along’ are some of my favorite words on the record.”

“Some Ghost” is a robust yet sedating folk song outlined by ambient sounds that perfectly trail harmonized vocals. Barzelay’s lyrics immediately speak to the listener, playing deeply on powerful emotive vocal technique.  There is no question Barzelay knows the exact feeling he is inserting into the song. It is his truth and you can hear it in his voice. 

Forever Just Beyond is out March 27 courtesy of Ramseur/Thirty Tigers Records and was produced by Avett.  Preceding singles from the record include “Don’t Bring No Ladder”, which was showcased by Nashville’s Lightning 100 radio station for local artists and “Roger Ebert”, the first single released from the album, detailed by Rolling Stone magazine as “a pretty, probing ballad that contemplates the mysteries of life.”

Forever Just Beyond was recorded at Avett’s farm in North Carolina, including a full band featuring bassist Bill Reynolds of Band of Horses and Lissie, drummer Mike Marsh of The Avett Brothers and Dashboard Confessional. Following the initial studio tracking, Barzelay headed to his second home in Nashville to wrap up vocal and guitar tracks.  The final recording phases included collaborations with fiddle player Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show and cellist Joe Kwon of The Avett Brothers.

To support Forever Just Beyond, Clem Snide has planned a Spring tour with shows in Atlanta, New York City, Boston and several other cities, some of which will include performances with Scott Avett. Capping both ends of the tour are shows in Nashville, the first at Grimey’s on March 25 and the final show at The Basement on April 22.  

Clem Snide Tour Dates:

Mar 25 – Nashville, TN – Grimey’s New & Preloved Music

Mar 26 – Atlanta, GA – Eddie’s Attic

Mar 28 – Wake Forest, NC – Wake Forest Listening Room

Apr 1 – New York, NY – City Vineyard

Apr 3 – Northampton, MA – Parlor Room

Apr 4 – Boston, MA – Haymarket Lounge at City Winery

Apr 7 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Café

Apr 8 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Tavern

Apr 9 – Columbus, OH – Natalie’s Music Hall & Kitchen

Apr 10 – Lake Orion, MI – 20 Front Street

Apr 11 – Berwyn, IL – FitzGerald’s

Apr 16 – Phoenixville, PA – The Colonial Theatre (ft. Scott Avett)

Apr 17 – New York, NY – City Winery (ft. Scott Avett)

Apr 19 – Alexandria, VA – Birchmere (ft. Scott Avett)

Apr 22 – Nashville, TN – The Basement