Stick Figure

With a calming air of production prowess, Stick Figure is back with his newest album, World on Fire, due for release on August 30th, 2019. As with his previous releases, World on Fire was written, produced and recorded by Woodruff, a self-taught musician, this time at Stick Figure-owned Great Stone Studios in Oakland, CA, former home of Green Day. 

World on Fire will be Stick Figure’s seventh album, following up the success of 2015’s Set in Stone, which peaked at number 65 on the Billboard Top 200, #1 Heatseakers, #7 Independent, and #1 Reggae album. With more unmistakable hook-worthy beats and deep grooves and inflected with an accessibility that transcends genre, the album comes in a year that's seen Stick Figure headlining the top reggae festivals in the US, including California Roots and Reggae Rise Up. The band also sold out the 9,500 capacity Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, in addition to selling out historic venues like Stubb's Amphitheatre in Austin and the Fox Theatre in Oakland.

Set in a time and place of uncertainty, World on Fire recognizes the turmoil we all face yet puts a positive spin on our outlook. Stick Figure has decided to stay “Above the Storm," choosing to bring listeners a slice of happiness and escape, without ignoring that there are real troubles they may face daily. While World on Fire can be enjoyed as a light, fun summertime soundtrack, the message and feeling stay with you long after each listen. It is music that can be a constant companion in, and soundtrack to, your life. 

An intuitive and accomplished producer, Woodruff crafts authentic artistry from the foundation of roots-dub reggae, featuring cavernous grooves, sparkling electronic orchestration, and thick rhythms. His songs and sounds have evolved throughout time while staying true to his signature sound. World on Fire is undoubtedly Stick Figure’s best production to date, and the attention to detail throughout the album’s almost seventy minutes creates a top-notch sonic experience. Inside the historic studio, Stick Figure band member Johnny Cosmic, an accomplished producer in his own right, teams up with Woodruff to mix and master each track. When completed, a brotherhood of hard-jamming musicians delivers this widescreen soundtrack in concert performances of consciousness-altering emancipation. 

The evolution of the artist most often portrayed as a one-man band has its genesis in Duxbury, Massachusetts. Well before achieving worldwide acclaim or embracing the demand to play live shows, Scott was an avid music fan who in high school traded bootleg CDs of his favorite artists' unreleased demos. It was then that he began recording a series of albums under the moniker of Stick Figure.

From his debut, The Sound of My Addiction, Scott’s handcrafted music connected with a community of avid listeners who discovered him exclusively by word of mouth and social media. Selling tens of thousands of copies of each of his self-produced releases allowed him to travel the world in pursuit of experience. Scott moved to San Diego, CA where his recording career continued to blossom with its DIY ethic intact. As recently as 2012, he was putting up his own posters for Burial Ground at the California Roots Festival. In 2019, Stick Figure was commanding center stage as the headliner for the massive event.   

Preceding World on Fire, Stick Figure has released six albums, all recorded solo, with Woodruff laying down the tracks one by one. The current live band line-up features Kevin Bong (KBong) on keyboards, Kevin Offitzer on drums, bassist Tommy Suliman and Johnny Cosmic on guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals, with Scott upfront on guitar and vocals. 

World on Fire features a limited cadre of guest artists alongside Woodruff. Citizen Cope is featured on the feel good track “Summertime,“ Slightly Stoopid is featured on the title track, “World on Fire” and longtime Stick Figure friend and writing partner TJ O’Neill appears on the transcendent “Angels Above Me.”

Stick Figure concerts are gatherings distinguished by audience sing-alongs, hard hitting bass, extended improvisational interludes, the mind-manifesting hues of a light show, and the much-anticipated entrance of the band’s canine mascot, a rescued Australian Shepherd, Cocoa The Tour Dog, who has her own 501(c)3 charity and her own beer collaboration, the aptly named Cocoanut IPA. The show becomes a family gathering that spans across age and demographic, coming together for good vibes and music

The Elovaters are one of the fastest rising groups in the American reggae scene. It’s an ascension that’s come through constant touring in support of acts like Stick Figure, Pepper and Ziggy Marley to eventually headlining clubs throughout the country. In 2020, the group’s monthly Spotify listeners grew 606%. It would be a high watermark that kept the group in good spirits despite having to spend over a year off the road.

Drummer Nicholas Asta said that year away was good for the group. The Elovaters went into the studio with producer Johnny Cosmic at Great Stone Studios space in Oakland, CA, spending 16 days of recording in the compound. “It definitely catered to us being the most creative that we’ve ever been in the studio,” Asta said.

“Usually we are feeling rushed and on the clock. This time we had so much extra time that we’d take a riff that Johnny [‘Blaze’ Alves] wrote while we were making tacos. Johnny was just writing a riff and Jackson [Wetherbee] was pouring margaritas. And that’s how ‘Margaritas’ started.”

“Margaritas” (featuring St. Maarten reggae group Orange Grove) is the second single off the group’s forthcoming album, Castles. Nestled into a kick-back groove, “Margaritas” is an off-the-clock anthem that reflects the ease the group discovered in the studio. The single immediately earned placement on Spotify’s Beach Vibes playlist. Singer and guitarist Jackson Wetherbee said it’s the group’s “most eclectic album they’ve ever done.”

“I’ve brought in more singer/songwriter stuff,” he said. “We weren’t trying to be overly reggae on this album.”

The single “My Friend” featuring The Movement and Keznamdi best illustrates the growth in The Elovaters sound. Each artist reflects on the friendships that kept their spirits up over an acoustic strum and sparse drum beat. It’s stripped down to the essentials, but The Elovaters find a balance between the serene acoustics and propulsive hip hop and reggae grooves across Castles. Wetherbee and Asta agreed the two-plus weeks in the studio brought out the best in everyone, which can be heard in the decisions made by Johnny “Blaze” Alves on guitar, Derrick Cabral on percussion, Matt Link on bass, and Greg Nectow on keyboards. 

The Elovaters are deeply collaborative on this record, expanding on the collective approach to the Double Vision EP. “Let It All Out” with Bret Bollinger of Pepper from the EP in 2020 was a huge single for the group (also making the Beach Vibes playlist). The Elovaters continue their run of high profile collaborations on Castles with other guest appearances from Olympic snowboarder Luke Mitrani, Brother Ali, Stick Figure, and G. Love & Special Sauce.

“It’s unbelievable considering where we’ve come from as a couple of kids on the south shore of Boston to having The Movement, Stick Figure, and G. Love on our songs,” Wetherbee said.

The Elovaters formed in 2014 and have released two full length albums and an award-winning EP. Defy Gravity was the group’s first big record in 2018 after signing to not-for-profit record label Rootfire Cooperative. Debuting at #1 on the Billboard Reggae chart and iTunes Reggae chart, Defy Gravity was produced by Danny Kalb and the single “Live By The Day” caught the attention of Jimmy Buffett’s team who programmed it into regular rotation on SiriusXM’s “Margaritaville” station. The band’s success with SiriusXM has gone on to include the singles “Criminal” and “Fast & Slow” added to regular rotation on Kenny Chesney’s station “No Shoes Radio”

The Elovaters have played noteworthy reggae festivals like Cali Roots, Levitate Music Festival, Reggae Rise Up Florida and Utah, and One Love Cali Reggae Fest. Catch them on tour at theelovaters.com. -Blake Gillespie