Seattle-based shoegaze/dream pop collective Ephrata – comprised of Skadi Von Reis Crooks (guitar, vocals), Brady Hall (guitar, vocals), Jules Jones (bass, vocals), and Ben Bromage (drums, vocals) – released their self-titled 11 track album just last month. The vocal harmonies they have been honing since their conception in 2011 are buttery smooth, with almost a kaleidoscope of personalized instrumental layers that make each song feel like an entire experience. We were big fans of the release, so we thought we’d let you in on why.
“Odds” has a very “I Melt With You” feel to its initial lines – though delivered as though it were released in the 50s – bathing its listener in light, nostalgic feels right off the bat. “Tunguska” is characterized by whirring guitars, the beat setting in after a couple of lines and really kicking the energy into high gear. But the song feels upbeat and light, while the lyrics are actually quite terrifying as they repeat “Run, run, scream and cry / Run for your life.” (Comforting, we know.) “Breakers” makes us realize that we may have embedded ourselves in a deceivingly light – but innately melancholic – work, as first line “Don’t you know that things were better when they were bad?” throws us into an almost existential mindset. And while we aren’t entirely sure what it means to “die on a sea of straight faces,” “Sea Of Straight Faces” is a slow, 50’s doo-wop sounding track that mellows you out for a bit mid-album.
Fifth track “Fiend Folio” seems to play with dissonance early on, addressing perhaps the fact that your road through life is paved with temptation and intensity (“forked tongues and fangs showed me the way”). We might be misinterpreting the lyrics, though they are – as their predecessors – seemingly bittersweet in their delivery and intention. “1000 Things” begins with a grunge/surf bass guitar, exploding into a beachy track that hits Beach Boys status pretty quickly and effectively. And while “What Is Mine” is indie rock at its core – it feels as though it could have easily been included on the Juno soundtrack – “Consequence” rolls right back into some hard beachy nostalgia for us all.
“Pharaoh” is light and upbeat in delivery. In fact, deceivingly so, as they’re singing about being shot and “entombed,” though the overarching theme might just be found in the line “pot meet kettle,” something we have been examining intensely recently, especially regarding people in power. (But I digress.) “Evil Twin” is a track that really makes you think. Clearly, the person whose perspective we’re examining is in denial about a seemingly abusive relationship, as she is convinced she met her significant other’s “evil twin” because of the way he treats her. “But when he appears you’re always gone…” How sullen and beautiful, this perspective on unhealthy relationships. Ephrata ties their 11 track release together with “Sun Scenario”, keeping with the devastating, lugubrious theme by instructing “fill your head full of dread ’til you’re dead,” which – to their credit – when examined has the opposite effect. It’s as though they’re encouraging you to embark upon this dark path, hoping you might take it as a challenge and move, instead, into the light.
But however you tend to interpret the lyrics, move forward. Examine your world through the lens of Ephrata’s music and use it as a learning tool. It will come in handy.
Ephrata is available now. Keep up with the band here.
New York’s alternative rock duo Black Satellite – from the talents of Larissa Vale and Kyle Hawken – have been creating music together for six years, their new ten track album Endless being the latest in their musical adventure. Packed to the brim with dark, alluring vocals and tortuous, cacophonous instrumentals, the album is something out of a profound, badass dream. Replete with crash cymbals to emphasize the intensity of the lyrics, Endless is a particularly moody masterpiece.
In honor of their new release, the band created a playlist titled “Forged In Fire” exclusively for Imperfect Fifth. Says the band, “We made sure to showcase our inspirations as well as include songs we are currently listening to. We also aimed to highlight slightly lesser-known tracks by our favorite artists that we’re sure listeners will enjoy.”
We also had the divine opportunity to throw the duo a few questions, and they happily obliged.
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What is the first song or album you ever remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
Larissa: When I was in elementary school, my brother’s bedroom shared a wall with mine and I could hear him blasting his music every night. The funny part is he is 9 years older than me and I ended up really getting into Eminem in 3rd grade!
Kyle: When I was very young I sang “Kryptonite” by Three Doors Down acapella at a school talent show. I hilariously found the song because it was featured on the track list of this strange 90s compilation album called “Now That’s What I Call Music.”
Was there a moment that it struck you and you realized you were going to pursue music, or did it kind of slowly evolve?
Larissa: I was always very into music. I don’t have a specific memory of when I started, I just always did it. Whether is was piano lessons, guitar lessons, choir, cello lessons etc.
Kyle: When I was 15, my Dad bought me a guitar to make my Mom jealous on Christmas. That kind of started it all.
Your track “Valkyrie” got a lot of love, and understandably so. What made you choose it as your lead single?
Wefelt it was a strong introductory track that was really representative of our sound as a whole. We are super happy with the decision!
Endless is such a striking release. Was this a concept album, or something that just kind of fell together?
Some of the songs on Endless were written 5 years ago, although we also came up with many new songs for the album. It’s a conglomeration of our greatest work at the time and truly showcases our range.
What was studio life like?
We tracked our record 16 hrs a day for about 10 days. This meant a lot of long nights working until 4am! We relied mainly on delivery food and hardly left the building. We were so prepared with our preproduction that we knew exactly what we needed to accomplish for the day and actually knocked it out much faster than expected. It really came down to us taking turns with our engineer making cappuccinos for each other all day!
How do you imagine people listening to this album?
Our hope is that this album becomes a part of the listener’s everyday life.Whether it’s to pump them up or get them through a rough time. That’s the ultimate goal.
As a still relatively new act, what are your thoughts on the modern music industry?
There are a lot of new ways to do things in the modern age, which means you need to reorient yourself on how to navigate the constantly changing industry. It’s important to always be on top of things and be prepared for a good opportunity when one is presented.
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Endless is available now. Keep up with this vivacious duo here.
Today, Brooklyn-based rock collective OxenFree – comprised of Jeff Doyle, Sam Ghitelman, Sean Padden, Christopher Burns, and Emilie Soffe – released the official music video for their single “Machine”, off of their recently released album Another Land. Directed by Matt Smithson, the video is fully animated in simplistic black and white sketches, and details a slightly creepy “day in the life” situation with a man wearing a smiley mask and who seems to do everything on autopilot. If that isn’t saying something, we’re not sure what is. The drawings are extraordinary, as you take in the message of the track while bobbing your head to the beat.
In honor of the release of their new video, the band has curated a playlist for our readers. Listen to everything you need to hear – including all 23 tracks on the playlist – right here, and then scroll on down to feast your eyes on “Machine”!
Nashville-based folk/Americana singer/songwriter Faith Evans Ruch released her latest – a ten track album titled Lessons in Falling – on October 13th. Her first release since 2014’s After It’s Said & Done, Ruch has chosen to incorporate more genres of music in her writing and sound, drawing influence from soul to pop to r&b and beyond. There are clear roots with the songwriting, as every song has a lot to do with love. But it’s the vulnerability in her vocals, the way she can really reach and make you feel with every note, that is of actual note in this new release.
“I’m Yours” starts the album off with a bang, as we experience a real nod to Elvis in the crooning vocals. Though she visits similar notes throughout the album, this one feels the most like it was produced by The King himself. And while “Beg for Mercy” easily could have gone that way with the title, it serves as the quintessential mid-tempo blues track. “Sugar” takes on a different type of nostalgic flare, and quite frankly we could see it placed in a remake of Grease. And “Sunny Side” takes on an even more diverse direction, as we melt into a modern spin on a 70s funk feel.
“This Cold” is the first real slow jam on Lessons in Falling, questioning the length of time she has been “wandering in this cold”, begging the question of love’s existence. Quickly, however, the tone changes with “Stupid Boy” and the subtle vocal quirks she incorporates to hook the audience into this one. The use of a choir-like backup vocals makes this one feel more robust amidst its pop-influenced sound. “Blood From a Stone” takes yet another different approach, the tempo changing a couple of times while Ruch threatens the man that tries to lie to her and “play it cool”, as she explains that she is “nobody’s fool”. We’re not ones to cross her after this track, that’s for sure.
But there are still three more tracks to delve into, and while “Rock Me Slow” is clearly the second slow track, it might place her on a different level of vulnerability as she leads us through a lonely narrative of sleeping alone and all of the tumultuous emotions that love or the lack thereof can burden a human with. We expect a lot from a song with the title “Bang Bang”, and we are pleasantly surprised with the final product. It feels like a song that came right out of the Kill Bill soundtrack, and you’ll understand what we mean from the first line to the very last chords. She rounds out her work with the aptly titled “Thank You”, which slowly careens through robust, soulful instrumentals toward her overall message of closure. Bittersweet, as now we have to wait to see the next step in Ruch’s musical progression.
Lessons in Falling is available now. Keep up with Faith Evans Ruch 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!
Chris Barron is one of the masterminds behind some of your favorite 90’s songs, as he is the lead singer of critically acclaimed four piece Spin Doctors. For years, he’s been honing his own solo sound alongside his work with the band, and has dabbled in working with other artists as well. He writes, plays, and goes about it all in a very unique, process-oriented way. In all reality, Chris Barron is the ideal musician in regards to talent, but he’s also a phenomenal and humble human being behind it all. We know, because we got the unique chance to ask him some questions in the thick of release week of his brand new album Angels And One-Armed Jugglers, which dropped on Friday.
Full to the brim of incredible artistry, Angels And One-Armed Jugglers travels into sound spaces and genres Barron isn’t necessarily known for, but pulls off entirely too well with the band he has assembled. Learn more about them – and Barron’s process – below, right after you check out the new album in its entirety!
What is the first song or album you ever remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
I remember being very small, so small that I was about the same height as my parents stereo, holding myself up, my hand on the speaker, with Elton John’s “Crocodile Rock“ blasting out of it. I might’ve been in diapers. It made an impression on me because I still remember. It has to be one of my earliest memories.
Was there a moment that it struck you and you realized you were going to pursue music, or did it kind of slowly evolve?
When I was six years old, I saw Shirley Temple on our old Sony, black and white TV singing “The Good Ship Lollipop” and I was like, “I’m going to marry her and we are going to do that“. I didn’t know what “that” was. I didn’t know the difference between a singer, dancer, or an actor but I knew I wanted to perform. I always had a penchant for creative writing and when I learn some guitar, that evolved into song writing. I was also good at singing and my choir went to Europe to perform my sophomore year of high school. Being 16 years old, on tour in Europe just because I could sing galvanized forever my resolve to become a professional musician. I figured, if I could get myself across the ocean at 16 just because I could sing, I had a pretty good chance.
“Two Princes” was one of the first music videos I ever remember seeing, and I was ensnared by it every time it was on tv. How has your musical process changed and developed since then, both in your solo work and in collaborations? Is it much different?
I’ve always been very process oriented. When I write, I write in bulk, giving myself permission always to write the worst crap ever written. My thought is to get past the garbage and chatter to the creative part of my mind separating out the editing voice from the more instinctive creative voice. Later on in the process I rely heavily on the more analytical editing voice. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve tried to refine my process and allow myself more and more to believe in it. After having a big hit with “Two Princes”, for a long time, I was concerned with repeating the success of that song. That was a handicap. Ever since I’ve been working my way back towards writing the way I wrote when I was a kid, using the same technique I used, really, to write “Two Princes” in the first place, that is, following my nose and giving myself permission, writing tons of stuff and being willing to throw most of it away, keeping the 1 or 2% that’s good and refining that.
I realize now that “Two Princes” and “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” were not only two of the most integral songs in my young life – the lyricism really got me into music in the first place – but they’re also enhanced by the undeniable vocal talent. Your voice IS the 90’s to me, and many others. How does it feel, knowing you’ve kind of encapsulated an entire decade for many?
Ha. There’ll be no living with me… I just feel lucky that I wrote a couple tunes that resonated with a lot of people. I worked hard on those songs and I work hard on the skills that enabled me to write them. It’s gratifying to be a part of people’s lives just by virtue of doing what I love to do. There were a lot of great bands in the 90s so I’m glad we stand out amongst them.
That being said, we know you have struggled with vocal cord paralysis. (That had to be terrifying, and we aren’t trying to hit any nerves here.) Has that changed your creative process over the years? Do you have any advice for people who may be struggling with similar vocal issues?
Yeah. That was bad. I’m one of those people, for better or for worse, who identifies very heavily with their profession. Losing my voice was an existential crisis for me. When I first got my voice back, the first time I lost it, I was afraid, and I did some pretty lousy work afterwards, trying to write hit songs so that I would have financial security if I ever lost my voice again. Then I was like, “Screw this, I’m going to write the kooky weird stuff I’ve always written. I don’t care if it sells.” That’s when I really started to hit a stride, creatively. This latest time losing my voice really put a fire in my belly to make this new record. You never know when you’re gonna lose your voice, get hit by a bus, or be abducted by aliens.
Your new album Angels and One-Armed Jugglers is about to hit the airwaves. Tell us a little bit about the title, and what inspired you to go in what seems to be a more theatrical and robust direction with this work as a whole.
I wrote the song, “Angels And One-Armed Jugglers” On the steering wheel of my Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, doing about 60 miles an hour across the 59th St. Bridge. (Do not try this at home)(Or on the 59th St. Bridge) I was thinking about my elderly neighbor Adelaide, who lived next door to me in the late 20th century. The songs on this record are from a tremendous cachet of material. I’m pretty prolific and I always have stuff that won’t work for the Spin Doctors. Once I came up with the title, I just started picking songs that were thematic. The more theatrical production comes from Roman Kuhn who produced the record and was really the impetus behind the scope of the recordings. Initially, I wanted to make a scaled down, acoustic record. He had a much larger vision for the songs and I think he was right to frame them more expansively.
For this release, you sought out some of the best studio musicians you could find. What was that process like for you?
The first guy wanted to use was Shawn Pelton. I’ve known him a long time and work with him before. After working with Aaron Comess for such a long time, I’m a bit of a drummer snob. Then I saw Jesse Murphy the bass player doing a gig with aaron and they grooved so well together, I knew I could play with Jesse. It turns out that Roman recommended him for that gig. I’ve played with almost everybody on the record before and they really complemented my songs by bringing their best efforts to the studio. They all played so beautifully.
The title track has a melancholic feel to it and, thusly, is an interesting way to begin this body of work. But it’s got this bittersweet beauty to it when you dig into the meaning of it all. How do you imagine people enjoying this track?
Songs are funny. When you write them, they kind of get up and walk away. You don’t really get to decide how people interpret them or enjoy them. They’re kind of like kids that way.
You were quoted saying that, at least partially, “thematically, [the album] is about the cocktail party at the apocalypse, the decline of the American empire and just a bunch of lemmings in neck-ties going over the edge.” Did you find that a lot of this work may have been inspired by political events, or does it mostly evade that facet of our society?
Life and art in a democracy is inherently political. I don’t really set out to write politically, but songs like, “Still A Beautiful World” and “Raining Again” touch on a worldview. Just the act of reaching into peoples lives, seeking to make them happy, and creating freely is political.
“Darken My Door” is so intrinsically beautiful. What inspired that track, specifically?
Ha. Being mad at an ex. The old standby song theme.
The track “Still A Beautiful World” is so important. Its message, its lyrical content. It makes us wonder… do you have a favorite space that you like to retreat to to experience beauty?
Lately I’ve been practicing guitar on a stool in front of my building in New York City. It’s not a particularly beautiful place but people walking by, the dogs, the strollers, my neighbors, they all make a choreography with the light, the bricks, and the fire escapes. The experience of beauty, the experience of anything really, is internal. Who’s to say were not all just brains in vats and some mad scientist is making us see everything we see? Beautiful stuff is beautiful but ugly stuff can be beautiful too. And sad stuff…
We are under the very strong impression that each track on this album holds a lot of meaning for you. Is there a song that is a standout for you personally?
That’s true. In terms of meaning, probably “Still A Beautiful World”. That song touches on our existence as a species, religion, and I got really lucky with a couple of those lines… that’s a pretty nice riff too.
Do you find that you are drawn more to songs that mirror your previous work, or are you more into creating something completely out of the indie rock box right now?
Really, don’t think that way. For me a song is a proposition. Get to the heart of the proposition, answer all the questions in an artful way, and you’ve written the song. I try not to set out to write something specific before hand.
If you could be any superhero – previously existing or otherwise – who would you be?
I think writing songs and singing is a bit of a superpower. I don’t think I would choose to be anyone but me.
If Angels And One-Armed Jugglers was a meal, what type of food would it be comprised of?
There was this tiny Cuban restaurant on 14th St. and seventh Avenue called the Sucelt Coffee Shop. This would be a meal from there.
You have so much touring experience from over the years. Any fun memories?
Opening for the Stones was nice. That was like going to rock ‘n’ roll graduate school.
Do you have any outstanding opinions of the music industry now, as you’ve seen it pivot quite a bit during your time as a musician?
A lot of people are making records now. There’s just much more music out there. It’s so cheap to make a record that anyone can make one now. I’m not sure that’s the best thing for music.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Thanks!!!
___ Angels And One-Armed Jugglers is out now via Chrysanthemum Records. Keep up with Chris Barron here and remain in touch with all things Spin Doctors here.
Recently, Earth-based psych-rock collective Elephant Fire – made up of musicians Adam Wall, Steve Wall, Zac Colwell, and Dave Hellman – released their seven track full-length Natural Heart. Inspired by a six month journey into North America’s national parks, this album is a remarkable tribute to the beauty of the world around us, something that is easily noticeable from the very beginning with the first vintage punk-tinged track “Natural Heart”. “Come With Me” begins with a slower, more hard-hitting tempo, imploring you to “relax your feels and have some tea, come with me,” which sounds like a pretty neat idea to us, as we sit here writing this in the middle of the work week. (Looking around the office, completely unamused.)
Third track “Lovers In The Bike Lane” begins with that line exactly, then drags you into its groove with quirky bike bells and light, ethereal cymbals. Begging you to take him somewhere, anywhere, the track ends with a “ting” and throws you right into the keyboard-fueled intro of “Burn Me Up”. The keys end abruptly, and you’re pulled into a world of pure rock, as the sounds swirl you around through a fiery kaleidoscope of early love. And while “It’s Alright” begins with a cacophony of light instrumentals, the repetition of the line “It’s Alright” makes you realize that – even with the quirky sound effects that don’t quite seem as though they belong – everything is going to be A-OK.
“It’s Rising” has a little bit more of a dark undertone to it, though we wouldn’t necessarily call it dark. Wall’s vocals are breathy, more sultry in their conviction. There are parts of the track that make you feel like you might be losing your damn mind, but those are the pieces that make this such an incredible head banging track, so we’re all for it. And, just like that, “Karmic Siege” sieges the spotlight as the final track of Natural Heart, leading its listeners into a mid-tempo instrumental section that speaks to the hippie in all of us.
Our normally insatiable eardrums are pleased.
Natural Heart is available now. Keep up with Elephant Fire here.
On October 27th, we will get the undeniable pleasure of welcoming Pittsburgh-based pop/rock collective Donora‘s fourth full-length Sun To Me into the world. The trio’s most recent single – a light, fresh track titled “This Heart” – gives us a sneak peek into what’s to come, but we wanted to know more. So we sat down with the band to learn the ins and outs, while begging the important questions… like how do you get along with your sibling in a creative and professional environment?
Clearly, it’s something we have yet to master.
What is the first album/song you remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
The first album I bought with my own money was the Lion King Soundtrack (not sure if that one counts). Around the same time my brother bought me the (What’s the Story) Morning Glory album by Oasis for my birthday. I think he bought it for me so that he could steal it and listen to it himself, but I ended up loving that album and still do! I wouldn’t let him have it.
Casey and Jake… As siblings, do you two get along, or are there kerfuffles? What’s the dynamic like?
We definitely get along! Jake is 5 years older than me, so there has never been that competitiveness or clashing that sometimes happens when siblings are closer in age. In fact, we weren’t all that close growing up (I think I was just his annoying little sister for a long time). But when we started playing music together that all changed. We’re pretty good at acknowledging each other’s strengths and our own weaknesses. Since we grew up in the same home, I think we also have a very similar style of communication, which helps keep us on the same page most of the time. Sure there’s the occasional kerfuffle, but at the end of the day we’re family.
“Sun To Me” feels like the track at the end of an inspiring movie, begging its audience to leave with light hearts and chase their dreams. How do you imagine people listening to it? I hope people indulge in this song Risky Business style. Music cranked, comfy clothes (i.e. pants off), dancing around their house, lip synching (or better yet singing along at the top of their lungs), just doing them. One person dance parties are the best.
What inspired that track, specifically?
Well this one started out as a love song. It’s about someone being a source of light in your life. But while we were recording this song, I was pregnant. I now have a 10 month old daughter and so this song takes on a slightly different meaning for me because of that. Actually, a lot of the songs on the album mean something different to me now than they did when we were first writing them.
You have admitted your fourth album is about love and the light music can bring to your life. We’ve certainly struggled with darker times lately, and were wondering what your go-to tracks have been in the past to keep your chin up?
One song that can always brighten my mood is The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love”. There’s something about that song that always just makes me feel happy.What is your favorite track off the upcoming release? Any particular reason?
“So Simple” is one of the ones that changed meanings drastically for me throughout this process. It started as a song about the joy a simple smile can bring to your life. Then it morphed into a love song. Then while we were recording the vocals, I was 8 months pregnant and feeling my baby move, so I couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like when my child smiled at me. I can say now that it truly is extraordinary! I guess that’s why it’s my favorite on the album.
If you could collaborate with any artist on any medium, who would you choose and what would you create?
I would love to make a movie with Paul Thomas Anderson. I have always been fascinated with the story of his collaboration with Aimee Mann for Magnolia. We’ve done a little bit of film work in the past, and it has been so much fun. Trying to create the perfect mood for a specific scene is such a rewarding challenge!
What are you most excited about with the upcoming release of Sun To Me?
I’m just excited for people to finally hear it. We’ve been working on it for a long time so it will feel good to actually put it out there!
Anything else you’d like to add?
I think it’s important to be vocal about what you believe in and to stay engaged. But I also think it’s important to give yourself a break and forget about it all every once in a while. We hope this album can help provide that necessary escape!
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Get that necessary escape on October 27th, when Sun To Me drops. It is available for preorder now. Keep up with Donora here.
