Biography

A corrupted file, a misplaced folder, dog-eaten homework--there’s nothing quite as excruciating as something you’ve put your mind and heart into suddenly being gone. Luke Trimble understands that pain, having walked through his front door one afternoon to find his house burglarized and all of his music gear taken--not to mention the demo tapes for his band Charlie Reed. But rather than wallow, Trimble decided to look at the positive: After years of self-sufficient music-making, he was forced to ask for help and work more collaboratively. “The physical reality of losing my stuff became this emotional metaphor for starting over in every way,” he says. The resulting album, Eddy (due in 2022 via Earth Libraries), finds Charlie Reed reaching new golden heights. Lead single “Don’t Drop Me” shows this sublime equation perfectly, sprays of wordless vocals harmonizing underneath plunking bass and a vintage AM radio guitar warmth. Croom’s dipping and diving lead guitar provides the ideal counterpoint to Trimble’s timeless tale of being left behind by a lover, the track instantly familiar and yet breezy and fresh. Opening track and followup single “Holding On” similarly walks in the aftermath of a breakup, indulging in Western slide twang guitar. But rather than pure sadness, Trimble leaves a bit of real-life uncertainty, the kind of mixed metaphor that happens in that state of shock: “Alive and well/ No mademoiselle/ To keep me here/ No one to fear.”