Cathedral Ceilings - La La La...Whatever

New Jersey power trio Cathedral Ceilings are excited to release their new single and video for “Bill Berry,” which premiered at Rock and Roll Globe. The track is now available on all streaming platforms for any playlist shares. “Bill Berry” is the latest single to be released from their upcoming sophomore album, La La La…Whatever!, out on September 6 via Dromedary Records. The album, which was recorded and co-produced by Tom Beaujour (Nada Surf, Aeon Station), can be pre-ordered at Bandcamp and pre-saved on all digital platforms now.

About the song and video, Ralph Malanga of Cathedral Ceilings shared:

“A recurring theme in my lyrics is writing about other songs. Maybe I overdo it, but some songs are so outstanding they deserve another song dedicated to them. This track reflects a nostalgic nod to the mixtape era. When I was younger, mixtapes were a major cultural touchstone—an analog way to connect and discover new music before the internet took over. ‘Bill Berry’ is like a snapshot of a classic mixtape: upbeat, featuring a fantastic walking bass line from Tommy, catchy melodies, and a soaring chorus. Bill Berry, REM’s drummer, was a staple on my mixtapes. I still have a milk crate full of them from high school. It’s a bit like ‘Do you like me? Check this box,’ but with a musical twist.”

Video director Sohrab Habibion of SAVAK, adds:

“This song is an homage to the art of making mixtapes, so I aimed to capture the experience of searching for the perfect track—flipping through records, realizing you’re missing something, hunting it down at various stores. Inspired by the line ‘The most difficult ones are personalized, you’re leaving yourself most vulnerable,’ I wanted to reflect the emotional journey of creating a mixtape. Although we didn’t get Bill Berry for a cameo (next time, Bill?), we were thrilled to feature Kenneth Close from Richmond’s Outer World as our protagonist. His incredible record collection and beautifully decorated home are highlighted in the video. Now, go make your own mix and don’t forget to include ‘Bill Berry!’”

“Bill Berry” follows the album’s lead single, “My CEO,” which debuted at Magnet Magazine last month. The song showcases the band’s knack for blending sharp commentary with infectious hooks. The track is a love song. “But not in the typical romantic partner sense,” says guitarist Ralph Malanga. “This is a love song about money, and how it can cloud a person’s identity, trajectory, and moral standing.  It’s about how people turn a blind eye to the evil wrongdoings of their bosses or the companies they work for, in order to pay rent, or pay back their student loans.  I almost feel bad for these people who tackle the moral dilemma of working for Raytheon, Halliburton, or the Trump org. Almost. The three of us play on this song with a kill or be killed mindset. Rip them off, before they rip us off.  The main riff was ripped off from Cheap Trick. Which they ripped off from The Move. Lie. Cheat. Steal. Smile. Repeat.”

Cathedral Ceilings is Ralph Malanga (guitars and vocals), Nick D’Amore (drums) and Tom Diello (bass and backing vocals). Ralph is known for his work with the Dromedary band Stuyvesant and prior to that he played the NJ punk band Footstone, who released their first single on Dromedary in 1993. Nick played drums in the shoegaze band Overlake, who were on Bar/None Records. He also currently plays drums in the political thrash band Worldsucks. Tom is a New Jersey punk veteran who has played in a number of bands, probably most notably Bad Karma.

The band formed in New Jersey in the late 2010s, originally as a side project for Ralph’s songs that weren’t right for Stuyvesant. Although Stuyvesant is still an active band, Cathedral Ceilings has evolved into a full band as opposed to a side project, partially because of their excellent songwriting and partially on the strength of their energetic, nonstop live performances. Today the band members are based in New Jersey and in the Hudson Valley of New York.

The first Cathedral Ceilings single “Thanks for the Guitar, Mommy” came out on Dromedary in 2020. They followed that up with another single, “I’m A Band!” and their debut LP, Summer of Misguided Dynamite in the summer of 2022.

The band’s forthcoming release, La La La…Whatever!  is an album that presents a dozen hot, guitar driven rock numbers in quick succession, with the same intensity as their growing word-of-mouth live shows will attest. The band specializes in driving rhythms and memorable hooks, delivered at a blistering pace. Its clear they were raised on a steady diet of Ramones, Marked Men, Cheap Trick and beer.

Like any good working band, Cathedral Ceilings plans to hit the road after the release of La La La…Whatever! You can also catch them as part of the upcoming DromFest ’24 taking place August 31st-September 2nd in Catskill, New York. Tickets are available HERE.