Canadian-based artist management company and record label Forward Music Group has had quite the year. Celebrating 10 years of helping artists bring their music into the world, they’ve taken it upon themselves to release an official 2017/2018 sampler – which is phenomenal, by the way – amongst some other really fun celebratory things, including a mess of live dates in October titled the “10th Year Anniversary Revue.”
And we’re totally on board, as this company certainly has a lot to celebrate. Their discography is extensive and includes artists like Michael Feuerstack, Gianna Lauren, Paper Beat Scissors, Sleepless Nights, and many more, while the amount of artistry they’ve brought to the world out of Canada makes them a standout for the country at large. Luckily enough, we stole a few minutes to chat with Owner/Operator Kyle Cunjak, who has quite the view of the industry, and a little bit of insight on the last ten years.
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What is the first album/song you remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
I’m going to approach this two ways and cheat a bit by giving you two experiences and three albums:
1 – Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense was a constant throughout my childhood. My dad loved this album and would play it non-stop. We’d both sing ‘Burning Down The House’ together and I was transfixed by David Byrne’s dance moves and style.
2 – The first albums I remember REALLY hearing, and I mean they had a profound influence on me, were Rancid’s …And Out Come The Wolves and Beck’s Mellow Gold when I was around 10-11 years old. They both blew my mind. I had no idea music could sound like these records. The former my aunt Cathy gave to me for my birthday because my older cousins were into them and I’m sure she had no idea what the music was like. The latter I heard at my friend Victor’s and remember BEGGING him to dub me a copy before a family vacation. When he wasn’t able to do this fast enough, I convinced my folks to drive me to the record store so I could buy Stereopathetic Soulmanure.
Of course I had been heard music prior to these and been to concerts (Bob Dylan, quite boring to an 8-year-old but also when I first remember smelling marijuana and likely got contact-high) but nothing stands out like those three, quite polarizing when put back-to-back, albums.
Any fun anecdotes or interesting memories from Forward Music, as you celebrate 10 years?
There are so many to mention – getting stranded by a “snowstorm” in England and inventing the most insane/fun songwriting game, arriving in Berlin for the first time without knowing anyone and with no place to stay but somehow ending up on Nils Frahm’s floor for a few magical nights, travelling Canada by train for free playing music in the lobby cars, etc…
One of the best parts about playing music is that you get to travel with your friends. So important for character building and life experience. It’s something like a free vacation and when you’re in your early twenties you definitely get up to some shit, even as alt-folk bands. However, the problem-solving, logistical, and organizational skills you develop are incredibly valuable. I’m confident that any musician could win The Amazing Race with ease.
Your 2017/2018 Sampler was curated quite excellently. Who was involved in the process, was it difficult to narrow it down? Was there an overarching theme?
When developing samplers, we reach out to our artists and ask for suggestions. This one came together quite quickly under a deadline. I really enjoy sequencing records and have a lot of fun trying to make songs from multiple genre songs make sense together.
There are a number of instrumental-heavy tracks here due to the growth of our sister label Backward Music that we started in 2012 and which features primarily instrumental music. It’s our outlet for releasing one-off projects with a minimal budget on various formats and with no pressure. Surprisingly, it’s been one of the most successful parts of our catalogue. Go figure.
What made you choose to go with the horse drawing on the front by Gianna Lauren? Was it commissioned, or was it something pitched to you?
That horse is so handsome how could I not have put it on the cover? When compiling this sampler and beginning to think about art, I asked all the roster artists to draw their interpretation of a horse. We had a lot of submissions, some better than others, but Gianna’s horse stood out.
Right now you have a ton of shows scheduled in Canada to celebrate 10 years of Forward Music. Any chance we might nab something in the states?
Unfortunately not at the moment. It’ll spare you the dull legalities but it’s extremely expensive and difficult for Canadians to play in the USA right now, especially without agent/label representation as is our case. It’s a shame because we’re SO CLOSE geographically and we’d be in Portland (Maine), Boston, and New York every month spending money on food, gas, hotels, records, etc… if the terms were reciprocal between borders. Unfortunately it’s easier for us to get to Europe to play music outside of Canada.
Dan Misha Goldman has a green card and performs in LA from time to time. We’ve also done development in America with a few artists in the past and have plans for a couple others but it’s all quite far in the future I’m afraid.
Please send more US bands over to us in Atlantic Canada though, we’d love to have them and I’m always game to help out with promoting shows.
Both the live and recorded version of “Onwards” (Paper Beat Scissors) are incredible. What made you choose the live version to highlight, specifically?I’m glad you enjoy these! Tim has a very captivating style and voice – intense, unique, and beautiful. This live version of Onwards is from a special orchestral show that Paper Beat Scissors performed in Montreal last April at La Sala Rossa and will be released as a digital EP in the coming year.Dan Misha Goldman always has some of the most inspiring instrumental work in his music. What made you choose “Hollywood, Jerusalem” to work its magic on the release?
Another thing we try to do when compiling our samplers is to highlight songs that may not have gotten proper attention. This song, off his Champion of the Afterworld album released earlier this year, fit into that category. It’s sonically so beautiful, subtle, and interesting.
There is such a quirky collection of artists included on this mix. How do you imagine people listening to it? (Holding a glass of brandy, driving under the night sky? You can get detailed here!)
It’s definitely a eclectic mix of music. I like to think there’s something for everyone here and that a compilation like this might challenge people to listen to a genre they’d otherwise not seek out.
What I hope at least one person does when listening to this compilation is ride a horse. That would make things come somewhat full-circle with our branding.
If you could get any celebrity to promote the Sampler, who would you choose and why?
Probably Neil Young. He’s a hero, major influence, and fellow Canadian who I think would actually dig the music.
What is the biggest piece of advice Forward Music has for us now, in its tenth year?
If I’ve learned anything in ten years it’s that nothing is predictable so I’d prefer not to offer any advice because I don’t think it’s relevant. However, I will offer my personal motto when working within music, both in the “business” and when performing, which has saved me so much time, stress, and money. NEVER RUSH!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Keep fighting the good fight, damn the man, enjoy breakfast, appreciate nature, and submerge whenever possible.
Norwegian indie folk duo Tuvaband – comprised of Simon Would and Tuva Hellum – have been crazy busy prepping to release their debut EP, which is set to drop in November. The pair – who are incredibly socially conscious and tend to lend that activism to their art – recently released their single “Trees” to critical acclaim. The song, which touches on the importance of our natural habitat, is an ethereal taste of what’s to come.
With that in mind, we were ecstatic to catch a few moments with the band leading up to their big show at Mirrors Festival. Here is what they had to say.
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What is the first song or album you ever remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
I can’t remember. I do remember that Aretha Franklin was one of my first favourite artists and that I had a lot of her albums. I wanted to become the new Aretha Franklin. A mix between Aretha Franklin and Gwen Stefani (when she was in No Doubt).
The first album Simon heard was Radiohead – Amnesiac. His uncle had bought it and they were listening to it in the car in Ireland. It’s still one of his favorite albums.
What is the origin story of Tuvaband? Was it impossibly amazing?
I was studying child welfare, and the girls I was living with was tired of hearing me make annoying sounds and doing my man-vocals out loud in our apartment. They told a guy in our class, to bring me to his studio to make me try to sing normal. I did, and it was the most fun I’ve had. I started singing with this guy and another musician. I thought we were a band and told my family and friends. Turned out we were just jamming. I went to my room and started making my own songs, and called myself Tuvaband as a joke. I would never sing in front of people, but gave my parents a Tuvaband CD for Christmas.
Back in Oslo after my studies, I met Simon and his friend in a bar, which were looking for a girl to sing a duet with. After three hours at an afterparty, when people had started falling asleep, I finally sang with Simon and his friend. Many months later I asked if Simon could play guitar in Tuvaband. We found out we would rather be a duo than a band and therefore could keep that name.
“Trees” is incredibly beautiful. We know production happened in two separate apartments, but what was the process like for this one? Lyrics first, melody first? Concept vs. words? Paint us a picture!
Thank you so much!
I’de written the lyrics earlier, but the melody we were just jamming, it’s the first song we had which started from a random jam. We had to structure the song together later to make it sound more like a song. There was a lot of rounds trying to record it and make it sound good. I think it took us almost a year to make it right.
What do you hope people glean from this track, specifically?
It would be nice if some people like the song so much that they will listen to the lyrics. First about the rainforest, then about our self-destructing behaviour, and then maybe produce even more thoughts about what we could do differently when it comes to the environment.
Your new EP is due in November. Can we expect other equally as socially conscious tracks on it? Is there an overarching message in its tranquility?
A lot of the songs I write has a similar message to the one in ‘Trees’, but the EP has a lot of different themes. It’s constructed in a way as a story, which evolves as the EP progresses. It goes from being about dealing with a trauma, then the aftermath of a trauma. And then when you are done dealing with this, it shifts towards the world around you, which is where ‘Trees’ and two other songs come in.
What are you most excited about with the upcoming EP release?
It’s nice to finally get something out that we’ve been working on for a long time, and to show people that we have more songs. We are close to finishing yet another EP, so it is about time to release the debut EP.
I have to say that we are both really excited about releasing a really nice music video, made by Marius Mathisrud and Oscar Juul Sørensen, for one of the tracks on the EP too!
Alright. The tough one. Cats or dogs?
It’s definitely cats for me. I’m the cat lady, but with no cats. When I’m 65, I will probably have 14 cats. If I ever start a side project as a musician, my name would be ‘The Mother of Cats’. Simon is a dog person and had a dog growing up. That says a lot about how different we are from each other.
Anything else you’d like us to know?
We are playing at Mirrors (festival) in Hackney, London, 28th of October. We hope to see you there!
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Catch up with Tuvaband during a Rough Trade In-Store gig on October 27th, and at Mirrors on the 28th. Keep up with Tuvaband here.
Toronto-based alternative folk collective Birds of Bellwoods – comprised of Stephen Joffe, Adrian Morningstar, Chris Blades, and Kintaro Akiyama – are no strangers to attention. Having garnered accolades like crazy in 2015 and 2016 for their work, they continue to release catchy, lyrically intense songs that hook their listener and draw them into their beautifully painted world. In honor of their first official music video premiering with Hollywood Life last week, they answered a few questions for us and brought us behind the scenes on honing down material for the album, early music memories, and Billy Murray.
Check out the video for “Let You Go”, then get to know Birds of Bellwoods a little better below.
What is the first album/song you remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
Stevie: Honestly, and it’s hard to admit, but the first song I really remember listening to front to back is “All Star” by Smash Mouth. And singing along at the top of my lungs during a road trip with my family (they weren’t singing).
Adrian: I think my earliest memory of music would have to be my dad singing “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” to my sister. Definitely played a big role in defining my relationship with mortality.
Kintaro: Hard to say, but “Graceland” by Paul Simon is definitely deeply ingrained in my childhood memories. I feel like that album was the soundtrack to many road trips for me as a young one.
Chris: Either Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette or a Peter, Paul, and Mary album, both of which were cassettes that my family brought on a road trip to Quebec when I was 3 or 4.
Your single “Catching Up” is absolutely mesmerizing. How do you imagine your fans enjoying that music?
Thank you so much! We’re glad you’re enjoying it. We hope our fans can enjoy that music in a lot of different situations. For us it’s a “looking back” kind of song, so a long drive, or returning to your old neighbourhood, or maybe slipping it on just as your plane takes off. And then when the heavy drums kick in halfway through it would work well to hit some light turbulence. It goes over really well at Tupperware parties too!
Victoria is a stunning album. Did you find it difficult to hone down your material to 10 tracks, or were you building toward this album with a concept in mind already?
Honing down the material is always a difficult process. There were definitely songs we knew would make the album but we purposefully left a lot of room for experimentation and exploration. There are songs we have been playing live for a long time that still don’t have a recorded form because they didn’t suit the project. Luckily, there’s always the next one. In the end from a large selection of songs it became pretty clear which ones told the most cohesive story and supported each other best.
Your track “Melatonin” is kind of an exact description of our lives. (And one of our favorites from the album.) What inspired that track, specifically?
That is a song that in some form or another Adrian and Stevie have been playing for several years, but it didn’t take on all the elements that truly make it “Melatonin” until it came together in the studio. It was originally inspired by a time in Adrian and Stevie’s lives when they were both coming to terms with unhealthy relationships that, after several failed attempts, were finally ending. Stevie wasn’t sleeping well so he went pretty deep into the melatonin, and then started taking it while he was awake to see what would happen, and there you have the song.
What is your favorite track off the upcoming release? Any particular reason?
Stevie: I think that changes for us every day. Today my favourite track would have to be “Let You Go.” It’s got all the elements of urgency and romance that I love, wrapped up in a driving beat that always gets the crowd moving. It also started as an acoustic ballad so the development has been very exciting to experience.
Adrian: “Don’t Look Back” is probably my favourite track on the record. Since it’s inception, I’ve held it very close to my heart, and have kept it as a sort of mantra ever since.
Kintaro: Picking a favourite song is like picking a favourite child. They all have their individual personalities and characters. That being said my favourite “child” is probably “Kiss Me.” That song was born in the studio, but has grown into a whole new beast in a live setting.
Chris: My favorite is “Catching Up” because it’s a simple concept and a simple musical idea that I think conveys a feeling with some level of clarity. It also starts soft folk and ends hard rock so it’s a kind of like a liminal zone between our two sounds.
If you could collaborate with any artist on any medium to help promote the album, who would you work with and what would you do?
Stevie: I would love to do an extended collaboration with a company in Toronto called “Vazari Dance Projects” with whom I work occasionally and the French circus company ‘Sept Droigts De La Main’. Ideally we’d take them on tour and expand the nature of our shows and music like David Bowie did with La La La Human Steps.
Adrian: Bill Murray is currently travelling the world on our behalf, spreading the word. He’s a great guy to have on board supporting us, and Reddit loves the stories!
Kintaro: In line with Bill Murray, I think it would be great to work with a big director like Wes Anderson. Someone who has a very specific style, but continues to grow with every new project.
Chris: I would get Justin Roiland from Rick and Morty to do a freestyle vocal part over the instrumentals to our song “Kiss Me” on the first listen and then release the first take.
Which celebrity Ryan is your favorite? Substantiate that claim.
We have agreed that Rye’an Ginger always gets the job done.
Anything else you’d like to add?
We have two singles out already, “A Year Ago” and “Catching Up,” which are available on all streaming and purchase services. “Let You Go” will be the third single, available October 20th, and will also be our first ever music video.
Catching Up:
A Year Ago:
Also we are currently on tour, with dates throughout Canada, and would love to see you there! Check here for dates. Hope to play for you soon!
Southern California-based alternative rock act DAVIS is still flying high off the critical acclaim and crowd reaction from 2016’s EP Crooked Finger. And – as you may remember – idobi Radio premiered his video for “Los Angeles” in September. (And he curated a playlist just for us to celebrate!) So it’s safe to say it took a few moments for us to sit down and pick his brain a little bit. But we did it, and got some good behind-the-scenes explanations, as well as a silver lining to the future of music. Check it out!
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What is the first song or album you ever remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
Bob Dylan and John Lennon were the first artists that really spoke to me at a young age. “Subterranean Homesick Blues” and “Imagine” were the coolest sounding songs to me. Growing up, my Dad had a huge collection of vinyl. My family and I would sit in the living room and dig through his records and just play tons of music together. We listened to everything: Cat Stevens, Prince, Nirvana, Michael Jackson, everything! And everyone got a chance to pick out a record and add to the experience. It’s funny cause that’s basically what I do these days whenever I have people over to my house: I make a Spotify playlist and everyone gets a chance to add to it. Music brings people together. That’s what it’s all about. My favorite songs are always the ones that remind me of sharing an experience with family or friends.
What made you choose to pursue music as a career? Was there a defining moment?
I started a punk band in junior high and we got to play at high school parties. That was the best feeling ever. I knew from then on that I wanted to pursue music. Eventually I went to college and got a degree so that my parents were happy, but as soon as I graduated I started doing music full time. But writing songs isn’t just a career choice for me, it’s something I have to do. It fills my soul. It’s my purpose in life.
You have had quite a bit of attention surrounding your work as of late, including some stellar premieres under your belt. How does it feel, getting this type of positive exposure?
It’s rad. As a songwriter you always hope that people will enjoy what you’re offering to the world. I’m very thankful for all the positive energy people are giving me in return.
What was the production process like on your video for “Los Angeles”? Seems like you had a really fun time!
Yeah, it was! There was a lot of pre-production that went into the video. The director, Haley Reed, had a really unique way of filming it, using all kinds of weird projections and stuff. Her and I have worked together for all of my previous videos, and each time we completely change the process like we are starting from scratch. That’s what makes it fun. I like challenges and breaking the rules.
Just like my music, my videos are all about juxtaposition. One minute we might be filming in a huge studio with all this super posh equipment, and the next we might just grab a GoPro and shoot in an alley. Making this video was rad because I got to drive all throughout every pocket of LA.
The Crooked Finger EP has been out for a hot second. What has the reaction been to it? The songs from the EP are really best experienced live at my shows. They’re really fun tunes to play and people seem to really connect with those songs when they hear them live. Everyone loves to sing along to the song “Fuck You.” Which is awesome.
If you could have any superhero help you promote your favorite song from the EP, who would you choose and why?
I would say Thor, I think! He always lays down the hammer. That’s what I strive for with my music: laying down hammers. “Touch The Sky” is my favorite song off the EP. It’s a hammer.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Rock n roll is the future. Come with me. I’ll take you there.
In the wake of the release of Broke Royals‘ emotion-filled video for “As Long As I Can See” – and in the direct lead up to the release of their self-titled album in November – we had a few very pointed questions for the band. Formed in 2014 shortly after graduating from the same University (William & Mary, but who’s keeping track?), Collin Cross asked Philip Basnight to record some demos at his recording studio so he could gauge interest from potential clients. But they immediately clicked with their music, and have developed into the duo we see before us today. As we prep for their upcoming folk-tinged pop/rock album, check out our brief interview – as well as their latest video – below!
What is the first song or album you ever remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
Philip: The first song I remember hearing is Smokey Robinson’s “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me,” which is wild because it could be the best song ever recorded. It’s almost a bad thing haha. Where do you go from there?! It’s the perfect pop song. It was on a soundtrack that my family listened to in my house on Saturday mornings while we made waffles. Later, my cousin gave me a burned copy of The Stroke’s “Room On Fire.” That was the first album I owned myself. Again, my family helped me get off to a strong start. “Room On Fire” got heavy rotation in my discman.
Colin: My family listened to music constantly growing up. In all our early family videos and pictures we’re dancing (see attached). The first specific memory I have of this was sitting in our living room with AC/DC’s Back in Black album blaring and my dad air drumming and telling me how drummers play the kick drum with their feet. The first album I remember pronouncing my favorite was Third Eye Blind’s self-titled album. Another album showed to me by my parents, but 3eb is definitely a band that has a special space in the shared Broke Royals heart having been one of the first concerts Philip and I worked together when we were on our college’s programming board.
Inline image 1
Philip:
^^^Colin Cross… born to rock.
Colin:
… what’d ya say, Philip?
Broke Royals – as many know now – was kind of a happy accident musical project with you two. How has your process evolved since the early days?
Philip: Honestly, it’s not wildly different from the early days but it is very refined now. Things generally start with an acoustic demo and blossom from there. The studio process has evolved the most. A lot of the time, we have a sixth sense for the what the other is thinking. Whether it’s a tone or a production trick, once one of us starts to say an idea the other can usually finish the sentence. That’s a really exciting feeling.
Colin: Definitely agree with Philip 100% here. Our producer, John Naclerio, would always rib us for not fighting.
We imagine you spend quite some time together. Any pet peeves or interesting stories you’d like to shed light on about each other? (We want all your secrets!)
Philip: I know what I would say if I was Colin! I think I was late to every recording session for an entire year. I had to take 95 South to get to the studio and never once got my timing right. I listened to so many audiobooks that year. Also, I think Ben and Caleb, who are touring members of the band, get pretty tired of our obsession with tacos and coffee. Every time we’re in a new town, we have to find the best tacos and coffee.
Colin: Philip is OBSESSED with Ezra Keonig’s Beats One show “Time Crisis.” Anytime we’re on the road we’re listening to it full blast. Benji and Caleb get tired of my and Philip’s love for podcasts and audiobooks in general. We’re a funky bunch, but we’re certainly grandpas at heart.
Ooooo… Philip also can’t hang past like 10 pm if we’re out drinking. He’ll just start falling asleep at the bar. He’s learned to just pregame with coffee, though.
Philip: All true. Not ashamed. PS it’s KOENIG*, duh. #8minuteCapeCod
Your track “As Long As I Can See” is both beautiful in displayed vocal content, but has this almost hypnotic sound to it. What was the production process like for this track, and what specifically inspired it?
Philip: Thank you! The structure came together in the demo but the production really came together in the studio. We went up to NADA studio in New York because we knew John Naclerio could handle some of the bigger elements of the record. Colin’s drum parts and the guitar riffs came through really well with John.
Colin: The production on this song was really fun. We knew we wanted it to feel really sparse yet sonically full, so we used only one guitar take that we re-amped through several different amps to get a really wide, full stereo sound. John also really helped us bring out the space in this track in a beautifully subtle way.
How do you imagine people listening to this track?
Philip: To me, this song is the closest we’ve ever gotten to a club banger. It’s got heavy rock elements but I can still see people putting it on to dance. We like blurring genre-lines.
Colin: Definitely in the middle of the blizzard sitting a wingback chair. It’s a warm jam with a cold body.
Philip: I hope one day our Wikipedia page says “Broke Royals invented Blizzard Rock.”
Your self-titled debut is in the works. How does it feel to be getting ready to release that?
Philip: It feels great! We worked on this album for a long time and that can be exhausting but every time we release a new song or video we get to see it again through new eyes. That’s really when it becomes bigger than just us. Anyone who listens to the album will bring their own experiences and interpretations to it.
Colin: I’m so excited to get this bad boy out. Some of the unreleased tracks are my favorite we’ve ever written and I can’t wait to share them with everyone.
Who is your favorite superhero, and why?
Philip: Spider-Man. Even with all the movie reboots he’s been dragged through- I still love him. I was at “Spider-Man: Homecoming” on opening night. When I was growing up (before wikipedia) I had this giant book called “The Complete Guide To Spider-Man” and I read it so many times that it fell apart. Then my parents bought me a new copy but the same thing happened again. Superheroes are irresistible for kids with big imaginations. That was definitely me. I’ll always love Spidey. Man, I sound nerdy.
Colin: Batman. The idea of a superhero who could actually exist is great. I like to think that I’m just a few thousand push-ups and several billion dollars away from being him.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Philip: Anytime I get to mention Smokey Robinson in an interview, it’s been a success.
Colin: A studio session isn’t complete without a PB&J sandwich, coffee, and huge salad.
Philip: Very true. We are pro-Salad.
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Broke Royals is out November 17th. Follow Broke Royals’ pro-Salad adventures here.
Today is a big day for earthy folk/indie rock collective 5j Barrow, the quartet comprised of Eryn Murman, Jason Hite, Drew Jones, and Gerard Canonico that once called Ohio, California, Tennessee, and New Jersey home. The musical (and romantic) duo of Murman and Hite found their way to music initially through the world of acting, so their romance was always steeped fully in the arts. Having just released their EP The Journey Vol. 1 on October 6th, they’re bathing in critical acclaim as they count down the days to their wedding next month. (Yeah, sometimes an EP release isn’t the biggest thing you do in a season!) And one can audibly notice why they’ve received so much attention, as the five track EP brings its own vibrant energy with it right through your speakers.
We were lucky enough to get a moment to chat with Eryn Murman herself, to delve into the story of 5j Barrow, and how they operate behind the scenes.
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What is the first album/song you remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
My earliest memory of a song that really caught my ear was Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” My mom would have the vinyl playing in our den and I would dance around to it. The first album that made an impression on me (and locked itself into my early childhood memories) was Billy Joel’s River of Dreams, my dad played the cassette in his car and I loved singing along, getting lost in the lyrics, melodies, and album art. Both of these artists made an impression on me in their incredible use of dynamics and storytelling.
What is the origin story of 5j Barrow? (Was it a meet cute?)
I never thought of it as a meet cute, but I guess it certainly was! Jason and I met as actors performing together in California. We immediately connected and our taste and love for music was definitely one of the big common denominators. I was temporarily in Cali (based in NYC at the time), and the opposite for Jason. He had planned to make the move to New York after our show. Within a couple of days of arriving in NYC, we wrote our first song in my apartment 5j (on Barrow Street). Within a month we had 5 songs and could tell something special was happening. We named our music and collaboration after this special place we wrote all of our first tunes. A little over a year of being band partners, we became romantic partners, a couple of years after that Jason moved into 5j, and now 6 years later we no longer live in NYC or in that apartment, but we most certainly carry on its name and story with us via our music. We’re now chasing our dream of touring our music and living on the road, and we are getting married next month!
The new EP is absolutely phenomenal, freeing and relaxing in its sound. How do you imagine people listening to it?
Wow, I love this question. Driving under the night sky (or any beautiful expansive sky) is one of my personal favorite ways to listen to music, albums particularly. Road trips, adventures and times in one’s life when they’re taking a risk or exploring a new path. I would be honored if our album was a soundtrack to that time in someone’s life.
We are enamored by “A New Begin”. What inspired that track, specifically?
Thank you! That song came from self reflection at a time in my life where I was happy, loved, and had a support system but would still have these moments of feeling completely alone. What surprised me more was that it was an empowering loneliness. An awareness and acceptance that when all is said and done I have no control in how long people will be in my life, what a new day will bring, or even when my own life will come to a close. Although it’s overwhelming to think about, I will always have myself and my breath to get through anything, and have the power to start anew at any moment.
New York City is such a big and terrifying place sometimes, and it’s beautiful when you find kindred spirits amongst the madness. You’re all from different places, and you found each other. But what do you think is the most magical thing about the city that brought you together?
You’re so right. It blows my mind when I think of where we all came from and how in the world we all ended up in this band together! NYC certainly gave all of us the realization, conviction, perseverance and strength to go after our dream. It’s so hard to make anything happen in this city with everyone’s crazy schedules, so to take the time to build a band, nurture it, and grow it – it became very clear that we really wanted to do this. I feel like if there are any doubts in your mind, the city makes things too difficult to put up with the exhausting energy and inevitable ups & downs.
If you could get any superhero to promote the EP, who would you choose and why?
I’m not the most educated in superheroes, so I went to the experts, our bassist (Drew Jones) and drummer (Gerard Canonico) for this one. They both had the same answer for the same reasons at the same time, haha!: “The Flash because he could physically put it in everyone’s hands very quickly.” 🙂
What’s the best part about performing this EP live?
It’s pure joy. It’s unabashedly who we are. When you get to be who you are, do what you love, and connect with beautiful people through it, there’s nothing like it!
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The EP release show is tonight, October 17th, at American Beauty in NYC. Tickets are available here. The Journey, Vol. 1 is available via iTunes and Spotify.
