Ships Have Sailed

Los Angeles based alt-rock band, Ships Have Sailed released their first single of the new year titled ‘Find My Way’ on January 21st, 2024.

Ships Have Sailed is the brainchild of vocalist and guitarist Will Carpenter, generally con”gured as a duo with drummer, Art Andranikyan. The music they create together is uplifting and buoyant. The lyrics reveal a thoughtful and conscientious perspective. Over the years the sound has evolved into sincere indie rock with an unabashed pop structure. Carpenter describes the band’s moniker not as a pessimistic reference to the renowned idiom “that ship has sailed,” but instead a fresh, positive perspective on the unexpected outcomes of unforeseen circumstances.

They’ve recorded and released a diverse collection of albums, EPs, and singles that consistently evoke an unrestrained cathartic desire to be heard and enjoyed. Either through crescendoing ballads or indie rock alacrity, their music always captures a uniform sense of sanguine sensibility. By combining an ardent work ethic with an impressive range, the band has maintained a well-earned buzz that has led to international tours, impressive industry showcases, and awards honoring their independence.

During the height of the global pandemic, the band released their album ‘Ages’, most of which was co-produced by Dan Sadin (M, Joy Oladokun). A testament to the band’s progressive journey and as a follow up, the duo took maXers into their own hands they decided to host a high-quality live virtual album concert for their close friends and fans which later resulted in a live album being born.

The band released a slew of singles this past year, adding to their already copious collection. Among those, was the sought after single ‘Silence’. The band had the immense honor of having the track featured on the Season 19 “nale of Grey’s Anatomy. Later in the year, they released their rock-heavy, foot-stomping anthem ‘Get Loud’. A song that not only captured the attention of fans and followers across the globe, but to their joyous surprise, won the grand prize in the USA Songwriting Competition.

Their latest single, ‘Find My Way’ presents as a slightly upbeat, quirky tune, but what’s behind it contains a depth that might surprise their fans. A song uniquely crafted from someone else’s story entirely. One that took Carpenter on an incredible journey of his own. Carpenter chronicles just how the song came to be, “It all started when a friend asked if I would help her write a song based on a very personal story she wanted to tell. I hadn’t done anything like this before, but was intrigued. The story was a decades long love story. She and her husband married fairly young and went through the typical hurdles of marriage and parenthood, working hard to support their family, but realized they needed something big to look
forward to that would get them through the tough times.”

Carpenter continues, “This dream became a meticulously planned road trip across America (their home was in the U.K.) which they almost decided NOT to make a reality for one reason or another. However, when my friend’s mother passed away, they decided it was time to live their dream, so they quit both their jobs and headed across the Atlantic. It was epic, everything they had dreamed of and more. Sadly, my friend lost her husband suddenly a very short time after their return. Despite this, the song is not a sad one. Its a note of gratitude that these memories were able to be made before my friend’s profound loss. A love song to her husband and to the music that got her through this tragic transition. As with almost everything I write, there are layers, and above all, a silver lining. For me, it became an important reminder to make the memories while I can and to live my best life to the degree I’m able.”

As the song continued to develop, Carpenter realized that, although this wasn’t his story, it somehow felt like it belonged under the Ships Have Sailed moniker. “My friend’s story spoke to me at a time when I feel like I needed a gentle reminder about what is most important in life, and because of that both the story and the song dug their roots deeper and deeper into me. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced.”