Cover of Will Lederer’s “Somebody Anybody” album. Design by Sarah Lederer

The sonic ear candy of synths makes British-born, Brunswick-based singer and multi-instrumentalist Will Lederer’s new album “Somebody Anybody” a must-listen.

Lederer also plays electric and acoustic guitar, bass and mellotron, and he handled the drum programming and samples.

Lederer said he has a hard time describing the sounds of “Somebody Anybody” because he made a conscious effort to ignore genre.

“It’s a lot more common to have an album swing between hip-hop, pop-punk, folk, etc.,” he said.

Nostalgia, however, is one unifying theme of “Somebody Anybody.” It’s an emotion that Lederer appreciates because it walks the line between melancholy and joy. “The album has some weird samples from old radio shows, which I manipulated in an attempt to really bring that wistful feeling out,” he said.

“I’ll Be the Song” is a master class in a polished synth pop tune. “I’ll never leave you on your own/I’ll be your best friend if you want/You be the words, I’ll be the song,” sings Lederer with a clear, upbeat voice.

Advertisement

“Cold Outside” skews darker both lyrically and musically, as does “Ring Me In.” Both are album standouts. A line in the latter is where the album takes its name from: “Keep checking my window for a glimpse of someone, somebody, anybody.”

“It just felt like one of the most dramatic moments on the album, and sort of a good metaphor for what making music is like – that process of searching for what you’re trying to express in the songs,” Lederer said.

Another striking track is the minute-and-20-second-long lush instrumental “Banana Pill.” It’s a densely packed, hypnotic track with heavy keys, percussion and samples.

“Somebody Anybody” ends with the mellifluous “Do It To It.” It’s a love song, so hey, happy early Valentine’s Day! Lederer sings sweetly about moving to a new place with his sweetheart, and with each line, my smile grew wider. Bravo to him for ending the album with that one.

Other musicians on the album are drummers Ryan Curless (“I’ll Be the Song”) and Michael O’Connell (“Ring Me In,” “How It Goes), singer Paul Comaskey (lead vocalist on the track “How It Goes”) and Hamilton Belk (pedal steel guitar on “Do It To It”).

Will Lederer. Photo by Sarah Lederer

Lederer is from a London suburb and moved to the U.S. when he was 8 for his father’s job. Along with English and American citizenship, Lederer also has Australian citizenship because his father was born there.

Advertisement

While growing up in Connecticut, he picked up guitar and bass as a teenager, then landed in Baltimore, where he graduated from Goucher College with a degree in music theory and composition. Lederer stuck around Maryland for about six years, and during that time, he recorded and toured as a guitar player for Baltimore soul artist Bosley.

In 2019, Lederer and his wife, Sarah, a Maine native, moved to her home state, and for the next few years, he was executive director of the Chocolate Church Arts Center in Bath.

Then in 2022, one of Lederer’s dreams came calling. He had long wanted to work at a recording studio, so when the owner of Expanding Sky Studio at the Fort Andross building in Brunswick offered him a job, he jumped at the opportunity.

“It’s allowed me to really hone my production skills, and it’s also given me more time to work on my own music, so I’m really excited to keep writing and releasing stuff,” he said.

Lederer’s previous albums are “Glitzy Golden,” released in 2017 under the name Amazing Bill, and a self-titled one as Glow Homes in 2019.

“Somebody Anybody” is the first with his own name, and the first time Lederer helmed the engineering, mixing and producing.

“Somebody Anybody” can be downloaded on his Bandcamp page and is on streaming platforms.


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.