Photo by Daniel Jackson
Living in Texas, Lauren and Charlie Eddy of Raudiver have confronted the harsh reality of how religion, once a beacon of hope and community, has been twisted into a tool for manipulation. They witness daily the cruelty and pettiness that can arise when faith is wielded as a weapon, rather than a source of compassion. Religion, in its truest form, should unite us, yet here it becomes a divisive force, turning neighbor against neighbor in the name of “righteousness.”
The news and politics in the Lone Star State are a masterclass in high drama, an art of misdirection. The populace is kept in a state of perpetual anxiety, hyper-focused on one fear after another. This constant barrage of fear-mongering serves a dual purpose: it distracts and divides. While the public’s attention is consumed by manufactured crises, those in power are quietly stuffing their pockets, profiting from the chaos they perpetuate.
“Those were some of our formative experiences growing up, Charlie Eddy admits. “When you’re raised to trust some specific people… or specific larger groups and then suddenly realize your trust was misplaced, it starts to unravel a bit, and you have to reassess what’s really going on. I think that’s been happening right now to a lot of people who are young.”
This mindset, this reality, is profoundly challenging to navigate. It requires a keen awareness to see through the veils of illusion, to recognize the games being played. The Eddys struggle with the overwhelming noise of media and political rhetoric, finding it difficult to maintain their own sense of truth and integrity amidst the cacophony. The challenge lies in resisting the easy path of conformity and fear. It demands a steadfast commitment to personal values, to kindness, and to seeing the humanity in others beyond the labels and fears imposed by external forces.
This drove the Eddys to write the stunning True Faith, a shoegaze/dream pop thriller written in a true miracle: a Victorian studio that weathered the disastrous 1900 storm on Galveston Island. Named after ghostly voices, Raudiver traces a winding path through goth pop and darkwave, with ethereal vocals and hazy shoegaze textures anchored by hand-programmed beats.
True Faith explores themes of dreams, fear, and unity, emphasizing the longing for unwavering faith and the presence of a supportive father figure. They depict a contrast between abundance and scarcity, symbolized by sparrows feeding on seeds, and highlight the idea that true faith can bring stability and fulfillment amidst life’s challenges.
Listen True Faith below and order here
“This was the last song we wrote for the album, and Charlie brought the track in nearly complete and very late at night,” says Lauren Eddy of Raudiver’s new single, “True Faith.” “The only production I brought in was the samples of my breathing, and the backwards chime, because I loved his work and it didn’t call for much. The lyrics just tumbled out, which is something I wish happened to me all the time—but no, it was a freak thing. Words were falling out of my brain and I was observing like, “oh, am I a little bit angry right now?” So I just rode that out and allowed myself to get a little bit ugly and jarring with my voice for a change.”
“From the instrumentation standpoint, we’ve been writing lots of songs over the past few years, and I’ve just been getting into a place where I’m trying to simplify and use as few elements as possible while figuring out an arrangement,” adds Charlie Eddy. “Just hammer some ideas out back-to-back… and then eventually you’ll hear one and just feel the staying power.”
Raudiver is planning regional tour dates in support of a forthcoming debut album and has previously opened for Provoker, HighSchool, Haunt Me, Tramhaus, and more. Click below for a teaser for their upcoming video:
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