Last year was a memorable one for Lowell resident Drew Struckmeyer but not for the obvious reason. While the COVID-19 pandemic dominated the headlines, Struckmeyer was focused on matters closer to home. Married in late 2019, the newlywed spent 2020 forging a new life with his wife – one that included late nights around a campfire with friends, sharing a beer as they discussed hopes and dreams for the future.
Now, Struckmeyer has written a song that captures the feeling of that summer, and his band Prior Noon has recorded it as their first single. The song, “Catch 22,” was released last week and is available on all major streaming services including Amazon Music, Apple Music and Spotify.
Capturing Moments, Putting Them to Music
The title of the song is a play on words that has nothing to do with the no-win situations usually associated with a catch-22. Instead, this song is all about catching the feeling of a younger age.
“It’s catching the feeling of being 22,” Struckmeyer explains. “The song recounts the things we did during that 22nd year.” For the songwriter, now age 23, that year was one of change and excitement. Not only was it his first year of marriage, but he also started a new job as a 7th grade social studies teacher at Lowell Middle School.
While “Catch 22” is a personal reflection for Struckmeyer, it will likely resonate with other people who can look back fondly on their younger years. “I think it’s really cool because it’s really universal,” the musician notes. Even if individual experiences are different, the themes of learning, loving and letting loose are relatable to many.
Pandemic Provides Opportunity for Original Music
The members of Prior Noon met through Impact Church where they all help with worship. The band formed last April and found the pandemic provided them the time to focus on creating original music. Members include the following:
- McKenna Grody – Vocals
- Judah Postman – Vocals
- Jay Stadt – Drums
- Drew Struckmeyer – Back-up Vocals, Bass, Banjo
- Nick Struckmeyer – Lead Electric
- Joe Warren – Rhythm Electric
“We all have different musical tastes,” Struckmeyer notes, but for Prior Noon, the group has settled on a country/pop mix. “It’s not honky tonk country,” he says. Those who like Keith Urban, Lady A and Thomas Rhett will probably find “Catch 22” to be to their liking.
The group hopes to be able to play at private events this summer and would like to release another original song by the end of the year.
In the meantime, listeners can follow the group on Facebook and Instagram and find “Catch 22” on Amazon Music, Apple Music and Spotify. There is also a video of the song on YouTube, or it can be viewed below.
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