Despite an increasingly age addled grumpiness of personality, regular readers of our blog will know that I can gush like a teenager speaking awkwardly with their first ‘too hot for them’ crush the moment I find myself enamoured with a piece of music.
Thus it was so that I pledged my everlasting love for the Signal and Noise album that Sacramento foursome Desario released back in July 2022 on Sunday Records and Fort Lowell Records).
This double track single is their first release since that glorious album (you see, there I go again !?) and JanglePopHub are absolutely honoured to be asked to Premiere the initial Eclipse track today before both tracks are officially released on 07 April 2023.
If Signal and Noise saw the band jump more concertedly into a more jangle-pop based sound that often frequented previous releases without ever dominating, Eclipse sees a return to their more bruised, burnished and emotionally charged sound that simultaneously cavorts with the dank, industrial jangle-rock of The Wends / RGV aesthetic whilst managing to clutch onto the fringes of mid 80s post-punk oppression and anxiety.
The band were kind enough to grant us a short interview discussing their thoughts around the release.
The “Eclipse” A-Side and Indeed Desario’s aesthetic in general is notoriously hard to pigeon-hole to a genre. Various blogs describe it as shoegaze at one end of the spectrum to jangle-rock at the other end with all manner of indie rock, alternative rock, post-punk terms used in between…how do Desario describe their own sound, why is it so hard to describe and what influences simmer through on “Eclipse”?
John Conley:
That’s a huge compliment, I’m glad our sound is a little difficult to define. We are influenced by all of those genres. I would say this particular song was inspired by 80s post-punk and alternative bands like the Echo and the Bunnymen and The Church.
There is also some early 2000s influence from bands like Editors and maybe British Sea Power. Mike (Yoas) and I both love the BSP album “Open Season”.
Michael Yoas:
Desario’s sound has always been tough to describe. The four of us have identical and at the same time, very dissimilar musical tastes and influences that we pull from. We are not afraid to wear our influences on our sleeves on any song, the influences just vary greatly from song to song.
Regarding “Eclipse”, I agree with John in that I hear E&TB, BSP as well as early 90’s Brit-Pop…and I don’t know why, but it also reminds me of Fleetwood Mac.
Mike Carr:
Speaking of notorious, Desario takes a notoriously long time between albums. Due to this, we usually have the core ideas that form the basis of the majority of the songs for the next album by the time the current album comes out. But we don’t rush anything.
Some songs start from 1 member’s ideas, but the majority are written and evolve together as a band. The longer we work on them, the more they take shape and mature, and the more each member’s ideas and influences come out. I believe this is what gives our songs their uniqueness and character. And sometimes an idea isn’t quite right for where we currently are as a band. “Eclipse” is no different – I’ve found practice recordings of what eventually would become “:Eclipse” from as far back as the end of 2014!
What was the songwriting and recording process for both tracks on the single? Was anything different to how Desario usually arrives at their music?
JC:
This song was recorded during the “Signal and Noise” sessions. When we were arranging the tracks for the album, we felt at the time it didn’t quite fit with the other songs on the album.
MY:
The recording process was especially interesting for me as this was the first album which I recorded and mixed from start to finish.
I have always had a hand in our previous records, but not the complete process. The end result of the sessions versus what I heard in my head going in was very close for the most of the songs…one of the exceptions being “Eclipse”. It ended up with a different vibe than the rest of Signal and Noise, therefore it made sense to release as a stand-alone single.
What is the lyrical context of both tracks? Are they repeated themes from previous releases?
JC:
We started recording the songs for “Signal and Noise” just before the pandemic. I ended up writing most of the lyrics during the pandemic. I think that had an influence on the lyrical tone, especially both of these songs. I would say an overarching theme is feelings of loss, separation and anxiety.
How did the pairing with Lavender Blush’s Ryan Leisure arise in relation to his “The Things We Left Behind” re-mix?
JC:
I’ve been friends with Ryan (Lescure) for a number of years. I have also designed the album covers for Lavender Blush, along with a 10″ EP and 7″ single. Mike (Yoas) did a remix for a B-side from the first Lavender Blush LP.
When we shared an early version of our album with Ryan, he had expressed some interest in remixing “Things We Left Behind”. What he did with the songs is really cool, it’s more of a reinterpretation. He added some new guitar parts and gave the song a heavier feel.
MY:
For me, it was a completely unexpected, but satisfying reimagination of “Things We Left Behind”. I would definitely love to continue trading remixes with Ryan in the future.
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| Desario; photo by Owen Carr |
