Cytrus Shares Sophomore Album ‘Duality’
Today, Seattle, WA-based eight-piece psych funk outfit Cytrus share their anthemic sophomore album Duality out now with groovy, 1970s-inspired track “Leave The Rest“. Plus, the band will perform live via YouTube as they continue to raise money for various charities this Sunday and later, in person, this winter across Oregon and Washington–see dates.
Through their livestream shows, Cytrus has raised over $1,500 for Snohomish Boys and Girls Club, or 20 meal bags per week for eight weeks in the wake of the government shutdown. The band aims to continue to raise money for those in need. Guitarist and vocalist Jared Squires is proud to support local community efforts and shares, “When I was a kid, my family periodically relied on government funded programs and community support. To know there are kids and families today facing food insecurity and this music thing can move the needle in a positive way, even if just a little? It makes my heart full.”
Duality pays homage to 1960s & 1970s rock, soul and psychedelia, while exploring themes of good, evil, mortality, immortality and time. Over six tracks, the group finds their groove with flowing instrumentals, soaring solos, hard-hitting riffs. With these songs, the band found their identity and their artistic direction as they continue to build their sound and grow their following.
Squires says making the album “felt tangible, urgent and loved. I think this shines through in the final product. This is a sophomore album from a band that has the utmost respect for attention to detail in their craft. I’m just really proud of what we created.” The group hopes to take listeners on a journey that delicately balances nostalgia with present-day and the familiar and the foreign.
“Leave The Rest” is a 1970s riff-focused, horn-driven upbeat rock song that explores the liberation found when leaving an exhausting situation. It was one of the earliest songs written for the record which set the tone for how it would evolve. Squires adds, “It’s a party starter! It just has everything that people have come to love about the “Cytrus” sound. It’s groovy, harmonically rich, has punchy horns and anthemic solos.”
Slow, sludgy and melancholic, “Outta Control” looks at the choices one makes and how one spends their time. As it unfolds, it reminisces on how these choices played out. It was with the making of this track that the band found their direction for the project as a whole. It’s become a staple in the high energy live show, so capturing the magic in a studio proved to be a challenge, but the band is proud of the result. Creative Executive Lens writes the track, “..captures the weight of reflection. With hazy guitar tones and cascading keys, the song lingers in that space between regret and release.”
Formed in Everett, WA, the band emerged from a shared storage unit and rehearsal space between the two original bands, HopSol and Bunk Foss. They joined forces when the local Fire Marshall demanded they leave due to safety conditions. The band is made up of Jared Squires (guitar/vocals), Luke Nevills (bass/keys), Brandon Hailey (saxophone), Owen Mayo (guitar/keys), Trevor Church (drums), Connor Merritt (aux percussion), Alex Dean (synth/keys), and Sean Connelly (vocals/keys) who come together to concoct their own blend of funk, prog rock, disco, electronic, hip-hop and more. They’ve since competed in and won the “Meltdown Showdown” for a chance to perform at Summer Meltdown Festival, then returned to provide direct support to STS9 at the following Summer Meltdown. Now, their synth-filled, groovy record establishes the band’s own sonic universe as they infuse their own flair into their 1960s and 1970s psych rock and soul influences.
Cytrus’ visceral, introspective sophomore album, Duality, is out now. The first single, “Outta Control” is out now, and don’t miss the band live in Oregon and Washington in late 2025 and early 2026. Connect with Cytrus on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube for more.
Photo credit: Tyler Brunkhorst