Daniel Kleederman Steps Into the Spotlight with Debut Solo LP Another Life, Shares Psychedelic New Single “Compromised Positions”
Best known as the musical director and touring guitarist for indie powerhouse Bartees Strange, Daniel Kleederman is finally stepping into his own spotlight with his debut solo album, Another Life, out April 4 on Grand Kid Records. Leading the charge is “Compromised Positions,” a shape-shifting, cosmic psychological thriller of a track that arrives today alongside a mesmerizing video.
“Compromised Positions” explores the weight of honesty and love amid cycles of seduction and codependency, warping time and space as the gravitational pull of a breakup intensifies. “It’s the only song on the record that went through a serious editing process,” Kleederman reveals. “The original version was eight minutes long—I may release it one day.”
The album’s opening track, “A Knock At The Door,” signals a closing chapter, setting the tone for a record that feels both deeply personal and grand in scope. Co-produced with longtime collaborator Chris Connors (Bartees Strange, Holy Hive), Another Life is an odyssey through love, loss, and the dizzying highs and lows of self-discovery.
A lifelong guitarist, Kleederman’s relationship with his instrument is central to his artistry. Raised in the hills of Western Massachusetts, he spent childhood afternoons cranking up his amp and escaping into sonic worlds alongside The Beatles and B.B. King. His path sharpened at Vassar College, where he met Connors and drummer Alex Goldberg (L’Rain, Cassandra Jenkins, Jessica Pratt), both of whom would become essential creative partners. After nearly a decade in NYC’s underground scene, fate led him to Bartees Strange in early 2020—just before the world shut down. Retreating to his hometown, Kleederman reconnected with his roots, trained as a life coach, and rekindled his love for songwriting, eventually leading to the birth of Another Life.
Sonically adventurous yet deeply human, the record blends progressive rock, folk, and post-Americana, crafted through years of meticulous collaboration with Connors. Standout track “Compromised Positions” is a visceral, psychedelic ride through a mind at war with itself, propelled by frenetic guitar work and elastic rhythms. Meanwhile, “They’ll Be” injects unexpected humor, complete with over-the-top baritone guitar duets and bold key changes—an embodiment of Kleederman’s belief that true sincerity embraces both pain and joy.
The album’s journey culminates in “Answers,” a mantra-laced, ocean-sized closer that seems to exist in the past, present, and future simultaneously—much like Another Life itself. A fearless, cathartic debut, the record cements Kleederman as not just a sideman, but a singular voice in his own right.
Another Life arrives April 4 via Grand Kid Records. Watch the “Compromised Positions” video now.
Press Photo by Julia Anrather