We shed old skin in order to evolve and move forward. We let go of who we were in the past and
embrace who we’re meant to be now. The Deslondes have taken such steps as not only
bandmates, but as brothers. The New Orleans quintet—Dan Cutler, Sam Doores, Riley Downing,
Cameron Snyder, and John James Tourville—have weathered ups, downs, and everything in
between only to strengthen the bond between them.
Infusing everything from saxophone, flute, and synth to string arrangements and a full drum kit
for the first time, the group naturally progress and evolve in real-time on their third full-length
offering, Ways & Means [New West Records].
“The title reminds me of being young, getting into the music business, going through everything,
and coming out of it,” Riley observes. “We’re taking a look right, left, and back at ourselves.”
“We were letting go of a bunch of old dynamics that left us burnt out,” adds John James.
“However, we’re focused on being productive and on the other side.”
The “other side” might just be their brightest yet. The Deslondes revealed their self-titled debut
to widespread tastemaker applause during 2015. However, they really hit their stride on Hurry
Home in 2017