News

Salt Lake City's Box Elder is gearing up for the release of its debut LP on April 10 via Steadfast Records and Sweet Cheetah Records. What started as Chris Archuleta’s solo bedroom project during the isolation of COVID has grown into a full-band collaboration, capturing the raw emotional terrain of personal struggle and growth.

The new single, “Chucklefuck,” dives deep into self-reflection. “This is one of the more self-reflective tracks on the record,” Archuleta explains. “‘Chucklefuck’ comes from not being happy with the person that I once was. Lying never lands you anywhere other than in hot water and, because of the way I grew up, telling the truth seemed to have the same consequences. I hurt a lot of people in my teens and early ’20s, and it took years of therapy to come to terms with that. This song is a reflection of all those experiences and the people it impacted.”

Across the album, Box Elder navigates mental health, lost love, and the quest for belonging. The debut LP is also the first to fully incorporate the creative input of all band members, bringing fresh dimensions to Archuleta’s songwriting. The resulting sound channels the melodic urgency of The Get Up Kids and Jimmy Eat World, while carving out its own intimate, personal space.

Recorded and self-produced by Archuleta, the album strikes a balance between raw intimacy and polished production, giving these songs the weight they deserve.