On The Water
On the Water is a Philadelphia-based band with established roots in the DIY scene, returning this year with their first full-length in a decade. Their sound blends chamber folk and classical
textures with heavy metal drive and multi-instrumental experimentation. Lead vocalist Fletcher VanVliet’s mercurial song structures and dynamic vocal delivery, supported by the group’s complex arrangements and instrumentation, give the band a fingerprint that is unique and recognizable within and beyond the Philadelphia scene.
Songwriter and guitarist VanVliet has seen the transformation of On the Water from its origins as a nine-piece acoustic folk collective to today’s heavier incarnation and simplified lineup.
The band formed around VanVliet in 2008 and began touring the national DIY circuit with the release of their first full-length, the playful False Starts. At the time VanVliet was involved in several simultaneous projects, including the art rock band Da Comrade!, through which they connected with guitarist Robin Carine. When Robin’s brother, Lucas Carine, moved to Philadelphia several years later, he joined On the Water on drums. Multi-instrumentalist Jesse Sparhawk also began collaborating with the project in 2012, but did not become a consistent contributor until the group’s second full-length, 2015’s Cordelia, which also saw the addition of classically-trained cellist Evan McGonagill and VanVliet’s partner at the time, Aubrey, on vocals.
The band’s name originated as a mistranslation of VanVliet’s own Dutch surname, which means of the water, but the phrase sat well as an allusion to the state of being open to the flow of life—a philosophy that has guided the band’s exploration of various genres and styles while they remain attuned to the defining essence of VanVliet’s songwriting. Now coalescing in the lineup of the two Carine brothers, Aubrey VanVliet on bass guitar, Evan McGonagill on cello, and Jesse Sparhawk on whatever instrument the situation calls for, the group has synthesized a range of musical backgrounds and approaches into a cohesive unit for the forthcoming Return.
2015’s Cordelia—the first release involving all current members—shifted On the Water’s jaunty, acoustic sound towards the heavier, more otherworldly textures and the darkly introspective lyrical themes that now characterize their work. In the years since, the group has remained consistently active, touring nationally and releasing several EPs (2017, 2018, 2021, two in 2023) that chart the stages of their growth and the solidification of their creative process. The band centers their relationships with one another as the fuel of their collaboration, remaining tight-knit personally and creatively while maintaining the open spirit of its original collective format by involving a range of external contributors. Arrangements are developed piecemeal—often over multiple years, allowing for the incorporation of layered influences—resulting in a sound that has matured over 17 years into a unique blend of country, folk, psychedelia, progressive rock and heavy metal.
Return brings a spirit of metaphysical inquiry to topics that range from the personal to the global. Such issues as climate change, the state of arts and culture, and the chaos and pressure of contemporary life are represented in VanVliet’s lyrics, as are personal reflections on divorce, identity, failure, fear, and the condition of being alive. Reverence for nature, as well as despair at its inverse—the disconnection and spiritual impoverishment of humankind—are treated with equal measures of gravity, gentleness, humor, and rage. The desire to move forward in a calm, good life is experienced in Return through a screen of Lynchian surrealism, as VanVliet both interrogates and reconciles with their subconscious.
On the Water plans to support the release of their newest full-length by touring and with the release of several music videos. The band is also continuously developing material from their large backlog, and intends to release several more full-length records that build on the themes and musical styles heard in their recent output.
VanVliet can also be seen and heard as the front person of alt-country band Nobody Jones; Robin and Lucas Carine co-lead the energetic indie punk unit Cranes are Flying; McGonagill plays in the instrumental chamber folk ensemble Hour; and Sparhawk is an accomplished solo artist who also collaborates widely.
On the Water is:
Fletcher VanVliet – Vocals, guitar and mandola
Robin Carine – Lead guitar and vocals
Aubrey VanVliet – Bass and vocals
Evan McGonagill – Cello
Lucas Carine – Drums, vibraphone, percussion, bass VI and vocals
With contributions by:
Jesse Sparhawk – Piano, harp, lap steel, pedal steel, banjitar
Micah Edwards – Alto saxophone
Contact
Booking: fletchervanvliet[at]gmail.com
Instagram
Press
Psychedelic Baby Mag: On the Water on the Making of ‘Return’ and Finding Their Way Back to Shore
Interview: On The Water Speak To Sonic Abuse
“On the Water’s Return, finds power in sonic form and catharsis not through dramatic breakthroughs, but through the honest admission of where the pavement stops and the wilderness begins.” – Foxy Digitalis
” On The Water defy easy categorisation. They write from the heart, and each track is a mini masterpiece in its own right. However, what really makes Return stand out is the way that each song flows into the next, with the end result an album that truly draws the listener in to the band’s unique world. Across the course of the record, there are nods to all sorts of different artists, but always it is a tip of the hat from a band whose interests run wide and deep, without ever really sounding like the artists they acknowledge. It’s just another facet of what makes On The Water so unique and, with Return, they have created an album of real worth that will keep you coming back time and again. 9/10” – SonicAbuse
“On Mr. Mystery, through woodsy thrums and zany guitars, Fletcher sings, “I shed my skin / shape shifting”, which is kind of the embodiment of this band. A collision of wandering folk, hard-rock and metal that somehow reaches the frontiers of psychedelia, and while Mr. Mystery may not immediately suggest these things, on Return, by and large, On the Water make the impossible actually possible, blurring the lines in rather interesting ways.” – Sun-13
“Subtle, but powerful, the force behind Philadelphia group On the Water is jaggedly emotional. Drifting through mournful, monotone vocals into begrudging, raspy shouts, the group’s new album, Cordelia, finds a peculiar home to nestle itself within in the widespread world of music. Yet, it manages to land somewhere between psychedelic rock, folk, country, and blues, dashed with a little bit of punk.” – Funkadelphia
“[On The Water] will immediately draw listeners in with the interplay between the vocals and the tender strings;” – Neufutur