Ross Page is a sort of wunderkind. He juggles five different projects, including his solo endeavor Color Temperature, and double as many styles of music between them all. As Color Temperature he’s just released his fourth full-length, Me Talk Pretty, as well as an experimental single titled “The River” for Fort Lowell Record’s This Water Is Life split series. Me Talk Pretty is the apex of Page’s work to this point, an indie kaleidoscope that takes in elements of Americana, heartland rock, folk, and dream pop and spits out something entirely unique. We sat down with Page to discuss his latest record.
How’d you start writing and playing music in the first place?
I’ve been writing ever since maybe eighth grade. I never did it seriously until college, but I’ve always played in bands. After I got into it a little more near the end of college I just couldn’t stop. I moved to California for a bit after college and was lucky enough to have a whole room to set up my drums and it was this online music blog that did this ‘make an album in a month challenge.’ I’d never done anything cohesive or real, but I did that and I thought it was sweet.
You’re in Seeking Madras, Lauds, and Azza on top of Color Temperature.
How did you get involved with all of them, and how do you balance all these bands?
I play drums in all of them, which really helps. I don’t have to learn all these chord progressions. But it’s neat discipline myself to just play that one genre. I’ll try to play intentionally–and sometimes even take parts of my set out of the equation. For Tumbleweed I play with a smaller kit. It’s a fun challenge, and it helps that I play other instruments, so I can hear where drums need to lay back more. A lot of the bands have shared members too.
Each of these bands has a different vibe. Tumbleweed is folk, Azza is post-punk, Lauds is dream pop, and Color Temperature’s sort of a little of all of that. Which project would you say is closest to what you listen to in your day-to-day?
I go through seasons of it, but there’s a couple I come back to. I listen to Kurt Vile a lot, especially lately. Probably mostly I listen to indie rock stuff, Alex G, that kinda stuff. I’ve been into egg punk lately. [laughs]
What is egg punk?
I didn’t know it had a name. It’s like this newer subgenre of punk that’s kinda goofy with a lot of chorus on the guitars. If you know the band Prison Affair. They’re all short songs. I love a sub-two-minute song.
I wanted to talk a bit about that Azza EP–how’d that band start? Most of the other bands you’re in have been around for a while.
I literally–probably mid-2020–was listening to a lot of punk, that Illuminati Hotties album Free I.H. I listened to it obsessively, four times a day. I was like, “I need heavier music. I’m over relaxing, I’m over Brian Eno and Aphex Twin.” I posted on Instagram like, “Who wants to form a punk band?” My buddy Jeff in Seeking Madras hit me up and said let’s do it, so when COVID calmed down we got a practice studio downtown. We both wanted to get someone on the mic to sing and write that had something to say. We write our own stuff but wanted to intentionally be political. I asked around and someone at the coffee shop I go to, Luna, told me to ask Janice. She joined and we tried it out. We immediately clicked. Janice’s husband, who’s in Nice Derek, is a really good guitar player, so we tried it out. He brought a weird Devo energy, Coneheads–oh, and they’re a really good egg punk band. The person who mixed it said it sounds like we’re all trying to be the lead instrument in a cool way.
You also just dropped your fourth Color Temperature full-length in June. I always appreciate that your stuff’s always got a consistent art direction from the albums to the singles. How’d you get the art for Me Talk Pretty?
I also do film photography, which is kinda where the name came from. Color temperature is a way to measure light–if you’re in a doctor’s office, the light’ll be blue and sterile, so that’s got a cold color temperature, but candles will have a warm one. It’s a way to portray mood in moviemaking and photography through lighting. The artwork–I do film photography, so all the photos for the record were photos I took, except for the drawing. The first two were random, but with Me Talk Pretty and the singles, I thought it had an overall theme. It’s mainly about a new relationship, and all the photos I used were taken without the intention of using them for a record. I cropped them to fit the songs.
The title is very striking too, and I’m curious why you chose to title the record Me Talk Pretty. What is it about that that captures this record?
That’s one of the two oldest songs on the record. “Me Talk Pretty” and “Your Math” are five years old, maybe. They’re from a different time but fit this positive theme of support for a loved one and viewing yourself in a positive light in a new relationship. Me Talk Pretty One Day is a collection by David Sedaris, and I listed that for the song when I wrote it, and then I shortened it and thought it made the song feel a little more present. This is the first album I’ve written that’s not super depressing. [laughs] I write therapeutically a lot, and the first three are sad. This one’s not. It felt fitting to repurpose something old and spin it positively.
How has the reception been to the record?
Pretty good, man. My manager and I, when I released the first single, were toying with the idea of shopping it around, but I got kinda antsy. All the songs are written in the moment, and I didn’t wanna get bored of them. I said, “I gotta get this out,” so we did it. I reached out to Small Albums on Twitter, who I’d been following online for years, because they just happened to say, “Who’s releasing music today?” They latched onto it.
That was “Open Carry,” right?
“Stunner” was the first single, and it’s one of my favorites. That kinda felt like a copout, though, because it’s a minute long, but I figured I’d put it out and that counts as doing something. It just synced up so well. I released a single every couple weeks, and they liked them. It’s the most successful my music’s been since I started doing it. That’s affirming, too, because it’s the best music I’ve written.
What others are some of your favorites?
I love singing “One Year Lease.” I think it’s one of my favorites to sing, even just me on my couch. “Open Carry” and “Long Fall” are two of my favorites I’ve written. I think the driving energy without being intense is what I’ve been pushing the project towards. I wanted to write songs that have the attitude of punk music but recorded really small. It works well with my voice singing quietly, so recording everything quietly just made sense. “Me Talk Pretty” was written to be a loud emo song. I was listening to a lot of Krill and Kal Marks when I wrote it. All the songs I wrote in that time were all geared towards that sound, but I didn’t like the demos. When I recorded it this way it clicked. I have a well of songs I wrote years ago that I can draw on if I think it fits thematically.
So we can get noise rock Color Temperature eventually.
It’s a possibility. I have a new song that’s out, a concept song about the Cape Fear River, and it’s 13 minutes long. It’s a one-off–I don’t write songs above three minutes usually. But I’m excited about it.
Noisy dreampop group Lauds from Wilmington, North Carolina, has just published their first full-length album, Imitation Life. The band's music has a dreamy quality to it that draws from the most refined aspects of shoegaze and post punk.
Band member J Holt Evans comments on the new single 24: "It's about overcoming anxiety and self-doubt and showcases a haunting keyboard line that chases along throughout the song. I wrote it in grad school a few weeks before my 25th birthday and now looking back on the lyrics at 27 I hear myself expressing frustration about trying to break free from the vices that kept pulling me down at the time. Musically '24' features jangly interwoven guitar melodies and a pulsing rhythm section characteristic of the Lauds sound. My inspiration for the track was to sound like New Order covering 'Boys of Summer' by Don Henley. I'm not sure we got there but I'm proud of where we ended up."
24 introduces the group's sound in a most dreamlike and tuneful way, with a melodic perspective evocative of The Cure.
This Wilmington, NC bunch began releasing singles in 2019, but I didn’t get hip to them until late last year with their 2nd EP, entitled II (the EP before that was S/T). Here comes the LP (of the 10 songs 4 are from the EPs but that’s ok, probably new to some of you, I’m guessing).
They have a really nice, dreamy, crystalline sound. I’m hearing The Cure at their poppiest as well as For Against and even bits of REM in those propulsive rhythms. Vocalist James McKay Glasgow has the smoothest, most inviting set of pipes this side of Martin Courtney and the guitarist(s) know how to weave splendor and mystery.
Cuts like “Parallel,” “24,” “Don’t Mind,” “Rust” and “Somehow” are just a few of the jewels on here. These guys are definitely on to something and who knows, maybe they’ll make a move to a bigger city or stay put in N.C. Time will tell, butImitation Life is surely terrific.
Infinitikiss is an ever-evolving musical and visual recording project conceptualized by Nic Jenkins, featuring a revolving ensemble of curious and experimental artists, musicians, and performers. Jenkins latest album, titled ambient music, is due out on Fort Lowell Records March 3, 2023. The core material for ambient music came from live improvisations that were recorded to cassette tapes, which originally served as backing tracks for live solo performances and with rotating ensembles (circa 2015-2020), in and around Charleston + Columbia, SC. Since then, the tapes have since become a kind of sample library of colors & shapes that have served a variety of sound collage / design situations, as well as fodder for other strange + beautiful collaborations.
How did the band form and what does the band name mean?
INFINITIKISS formed sometime in the middle of 2014 & somewhere in-between bus rides from Charleston to Columbia, SC. I was interested in a relationship that led me to other relationships that extended from the nucleus of the art, film, & music community there. Soda City & CHS have very interconnected music scenes, actually! Around this time is when I crossed paths with BAND & THE BEAT for the first time, which was a lovely moment in that chapter of my life. I journaled a lot on road trips about ways to evolve as an artist, and some of that journaling included lists of concepts and potential monikers. I wanted to go with something slightly more ambiguous and a bit quirky, since performing as “Mr. Jenkins” felt strange after a while (and once I started to try assembling groups of friends to play together). Other names on the list suggested imagery of palindromes, cyclical patterns, and even conveyor belts (of sound).
I had reached a point in my musical journey (and a season of re-examining my relationship with my own ego) that made me reconsider introducing a band or ensemble as my name, basically. Deciding on “infinitikiss” as a new working title for this dimension of self-expression & exploration was a choice to welcome more newness & elasticity into my life, and to celebrate that more, and to also suggest timelessness & weightlessness… through song?
Previous musical projects? How'd you first get into music?
I’m not sure of a fair way to condense this, but a short list of some important musical projects I’ve been fortunate to work with are: Josh Martin (drums), Sabine Colleen (percussion) 2 Slices (drums), Grace Joyner (drums), Falling Off A Building (bass guitar), Asphalt Orchestra (bass drum), San Fermin (drums), Tracy Shedd (drums, bass), BODYPARTS (drums), Future Wife (bass guitar, drums), Run Dan Run (drums), Jack Of Knives (drums) Lindsay Holler (drums) … [ also credited as: Nick Jenkins ]
I grew up in a religious family in a small town and my parents loved music, so there was: church music, camp songs, MTV, marching & symphonic bands (through middle & high school) as my introduction to music, which led to an early appreciation. My first instrument was the drums. Guitar, bass, and piano followed a few years later. I am almost 40 years old now! In 3rd grade, I might have almost been labeled a problem child because of how much I tapped on the desk and was drawing all the time. The way my parents saw me and nurtured that part of my passion was pivotal!
I’m not sure where I would be if I had never heard ‘Songs From The Big Chair’ by Tears For Fears. Thanks, Mom&Dad: your record collection has always been an inspiration.
First concert that you ever went to?
My first official CONCERT was probably a Christian rock concert or good old Gospel music extravaganza of some kind. I’m gonna go with Carmen (pop contemporary gospel artist) at the North Charleston Coliseum. That would’ve been in the early ’90s. It was definitely a national act production. There may have been pyrotechnics? I also have to shout-out my mom’s community choir, The Colleton County Mass Choir, for encouraging & welcoming the high school version of me to play bass with them in such early, formative years. Before I started playing with them, I would have probably seen them over a dozen times before.
What's your writing process like?
My process has gone through a few different phases. At first it was more of a lyrical based approach, and then grew more comfortable with my primary instrument (the drums) and then more with guitars, which led to more of a compositional direction. After that, computers & sample-based music threw me into a sound collage headspace. Presently, I am allowing life to happen and I’m practicing being present as much as possible. The arrangement and production of ’ambient music’ happened through a time based accumulation process of documentation & mediation. In a way, it was done before I began to assemble the album. The music I’m starting to think about working on now is more formulaic and song-based. Overall, the shortest answer is: the process is a practice of using collectable sound collage fodder for the improvised assemblages of songs.
Even though this project is mostly a solo endeavor, there are sometimes lovely guest collaborators in the performance and recording scenarios of the music, so there is a bit of a revolving door of artists I trust to reimagine my music with me, and to make something totally new. For that & to them I am grateful!
The first piece of music I ever wrote for infinitikiss was called, “See The Other / Be The Other / Free The Other”, which was made on GarageBand for iPod touch; composed for an octet. Jazz has also influenced the way I interpret lots of musical concepts and possibilities.
What other artists or songs inspire your music?
Aloha : one of my favorite bands of all time. Pretty much anything they’ve written and released has been some perfect soundtrack to my life at that very moment. Their album ‘Sugar’ found me at an especially tender moment in my life, and still brings tremendous comfort when I hear it. If I had to pick one favorite song, it would be “Water Your Hands” from the album ‘Here Comes Everyone’ (Polyvinyl Records).
Baxter (Quentin Baxter) was my drum instructor and mentor throughout college. His knowledge of music is uncannily broad and He taught me a lot about how your life practice influences how you practice with your instrument. Being genuine to one’s own story was also a recurring theme during my studies with him. He is also a founding member of Ranky Tanky, The Gradual Lean, and frequent collaborator of vocalist Rene Marie. He was the first person to introduce me to the music of…
Bjork!Bjork’s music has always been some kind of underlying subliminal poetry that I consult when I want to imagine the terrifyingly motherly voice of the universe personified. The mysteries of existence seem a little easier to understand when I listen to Bjork.
The music of Broadcast is timeless, is brilliant, is so many great things. _favorite album: ’The Future Crayon’
my friends & fam
Sade – the album ‘Love Is Stronger Than Pride’
Hiroshi Yoshimura – the album ‘Green’
James Tritten of Fort Lowell Records created this Spotify Playlist that Blood Makes Noise readers may find of interest. It highlights what they as a label feel are some of the most important works within the ambient genre, having come from a background in shoegaze indie rock:
What's the live experience like and your philosophy on playing live? Do you think the music live should be identical to the recorded version or should it be it's own thing?
Infinitikiss “live” is close to what you’d expect walking into a living art exhibition to be like. As with conveyor belts and things that are just “on” all the time (like espresso machines or pilot lights), the sets are arranged to flow like the trajectory of a walkabout or spirit quest. Live performances tend to start… and seamlessly float through songs until “the end”. I try to make it easy for my collaborators to jump in with very minimal preparation (with clear requests & parameters), which allow them to improvise in ways that don’t require lots of rehearsal time. With the use of incorporating graphic scores and experimental notation, there is more for the players to interpret and bring out of the musical blueprints. The live experience of this music is also kind of like going to a science fair and witnessing people explore the various colors & shapes of sounds. Having songs are what keep things from being completely nebulous. I love when concerts seem more alive than recordings. I find it rather refreshing to feel at least a little disoriented when seeing something created in front of me and in real-time.
Has the band toured? What has the touring experience been, best shows? worst shows?
The only touring that has happened has been around the Southeast, in a variety of small rock clubs, indie film cinemas, contemporary art installations, dance company collaborations, “happenings”, and special events. When it is a band/group/ensemble, it isn’t a very conventional one, and because it is still a rather young project, it has yet to really sprout wings in this way. Thanks to so, so many beautiful beings & generous creatives in my life, the ensemble size has been anywhere from 2-8 players at once. South Carolina has a very unique network of artists and musicians. There was this one time I agreed to perform during a film festival curated by The Nickelodeon / Indie Grits in Columbia, SC the same night I was playing percussion in a production of Animal Farm: The Musical at USC. Unfortunately I couldn’t be present for both things, so what did I do? I asked some friends to perform music written specifically FOR them (to improvise with), but without me. Even though I double-booked myself, it somehow worked out? I refer to that ensemble as INFINITIKISS XL, because it was a huge favor to ask. The piece was called “Disco Limbo Vision”, which was named after a film in the same programming that night. It was only my “worst” show because I wasn’t there, but also a fun exercise in trusting others to bring a composition to life.
The “best” show is probably one in Charleston, SC that has been documented and can be found on the interwebs.
Search: Lab Sessions / curated by Khari Lucas & HedHi Media / costumes by: Cara Persona
What’s up next for the band?
There currently is not a band to plan for / with. However, I did just play in Santa Fe with my friend an Albuquerque-based musician named Mark Nava (who also plays bass with Sabine Colleen). Mark operated a tasty combo of guitar pedals while I sent audio from cassette tapes (of ‘ambient music’ loops) and played synth bass / drum machine. It was super mellow & a gentle kind of fun. I’ve been working on a “dark wave” solo set, which is a minimal configuration of bass guitar, drum machine, & vocals. My next compositional fixation will most likely be called ‘Jingle Jangle’ –– a more guitar-centric batch of songs.
We’ve been in NM for just over 2 years, and I hope that we continue to build community and connections with people here to organically grow beautiful life moments, and even some weird stuff.
Imitation Life falls in a proud tradition of jangly indie rock bands letting their dream pop influence shine through—think Antisocialites, Days, Anak Ko. It’s a breezy, bright listen, one that conjures images of beaches at high tide and midday strolls through fields of wildflowers.
The first single from Wilmington, North Carolina's own Kicking Bird, titled "Lauren", from their debut album Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is available now on all music platforms.
"It’s got everything anyone could possibly want all wrapped up in three minutes of boundless energy." ~ Music. Defined.
After a few EPs and singles, North Carolina’s Lauds have finally released their debut long player, Imitation Life,and let me tell you, it is some solid jangle/dream pop gold. It’s packed with lush, jangly guitars dancing around echoed vocals and a driving rhythm section. Lauds has set the bar high for all albums released in 2023 withImitation Life.
Check out album opener “Parallel” and “24” (below) for a taste.
Imitation Lifeis out now viaFort Lowell Records. Get your ears on this one. Enjoy.
It is impossible to relay just how excited I am to be bringing you this exclusive listen to the first single from Kicking Bird’s debut album, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Years in the making, these eleven tracks will likely make up my entire vibe for the summer. After getting an early listen a while back, I instantly knew that “Lauren” would be the song to get people dancing in the streets. It’s got everything anyone could possibly want all wrapped up in three minutes of boundless energy.
Rarely does a song so easily intertwine diametrically opposed genres-“Lauren” goes from a pop confection one second to a punk anthem the next. It features a pristine combo of guitar and vocals, screaming harmonies, blistering drums, and enough dynamic shifts to make your head spin with delight. This tune acts as a perfect introduction to Kicking Bird and the kind of music you’ll find on the album.
The band put together a Spotify playlist to give listeners an idea of where their inspiration comes from, and there are some great tracks included. Obvious stuff like Springsteen and Vampire Weekend, but also some surprises-Olivia Rodrigo? Howard Shore? In the end it all makes sense, even the Friday Night Lights theme song.
Original Motion Picture Soundtrackisn’t out until the spring, so you have plenty of time to get your vinylpre-ordersorted and pre-save onSpotify. Check out the band’spageto follow along and get updates on the next single and, who knows, maybe a tour sometime in the near future.
“An upbeat melange of shimmery vocals, multiple interlocking guitar parts, jaunty basslines and motorik-laden drums with a flourish of keys on the side set against themes touching on the anxiety of growing into your own.” That’s how Imitation Life, the full-length debut album by North Carolina five-piece Lauds, is aptly described in the accompanying press release. Listen to the opening sentences of24and you’ll immediately understand what is meant: “I wake up and taste the sun outside // Watch the desert // Fears to hide // Or drown, or fight, or feel, or hate, or say, or do, or hear.”
On the ten tracks here, the guitars jangle and haunt you to higher realms – the band does not shy away from means such as mesmerizing keyboard melodies, experimenting with soundscapes or a hair metal solo to enhance that effect (as recently noted, Siouxsie and the Banshees is experiencing a revival, and in this case too reference is made to the British shoegaze band). Four of the songs were already featured on the first two Lauds EPs (we wrote aboutIIpreviously), below you can listen to three of the new tunes, all equally captivating. This record is somewhat dark, but also warm, dreamy and rich.
Lauds features Gavin Campbell, Boyce S. Evans, J Holt Evans III, James McKay Glasgow and Ross Page. Imitation Life is out now digitally and vinyl LP through Fort Lowell Records.
Available now on all digital platforms and 12inch vinyl record... Lauds’ debut full-length Imitation Life is a lush, aural tapestry of blissed-out guitars against a backdrop of rhythmic tension woven by the five-piece, Wilmington, NC-based band. The lyrics of the 10 tracks ping-pong between anxious introspection and the search for fleeting bits of contentment in life, like the best empathetic, reflective autumnal rock of the second Brit invasion era. On songs like "Wasted Hours", "24" and "Rust", the elegantly anguished vocals wash over the listener like the waters of Cape Fear and the Atlantic Ocean that dominate the Wilmington landscape, evoking the “post-surf stupor” that songwriters J. Holt Evans lll and McKay Glasgow feel after a day riding its waves.
The album is an atmospheric gem whose highlights range from otherworldly instrumental "Something Happening" to hazy ballads of the sort it would be easy to imagine Roy Orbison recording in his later years (without actually sounding like an Orbison recording).
Lauds’ debut full-length Imitation Life is a lush, aural tapestry of blissed-out guitars against a backdrop of rhythmic tension woven by the five-piece, Wilmington, NC-based band. The lyrics of the 10 tracks ping-pong between anxious introspection and the search for fleeting bits of contentment in life, like the best empathetic, reflective autumnal rock of the second Brit invasion era. On songs like Wasted Hours, 24 and Rust, the elegantly anguished vocals wash over the listener like the waters of Cape Fear and the Atlantic Ocean that dominate the Wilmington landscape, evoking the “post-surf stupor” that songwriters J. Holt Evans lll and Mckay Glasgow feel after a day riding its waves. We caught up with the band to ask them about what inspires them and how they formed:
How did the band form and what does the band name mean?
MK: We had become friends when another band I play with recorded an album at Holt III and Boyce’s dad’s home studio. Holt II (their dad) had told me that Holt III would be interested in some of the new demos we were making. I met up with him and found out he had some demos as well and I really liked them. Then we got together with our friend Rett Nabell and started writing. Within the first months we released a single and started playing shows, even got an opening spot for Futurebirds on their tour. Since then, the lineup has changed some and currently it’s the original three and our good friend Gavin Campbell playing bass. As far as the name, I had always liked religious words as band names. We wanted it to be one word and sonically interesting. We landed on Lauds which is the name of an early morning prayer service in the Anglican Church. The echoey cathedral-like associations seemed cool to us and our style of music and applied with some of the kind of Southern gothic artwork and literature that we like.
JHEIII: I also really like bands with one syllable names: Sleep, DIIV, Mourn, Wire, Blur etc.
Previous musical projects? How'd you first get into music?
The boys had the advantage of growing up with a very musical father who played in numerous rock bands and steeped them, and subsequently me, in shoegaze and British indie bands like Suede, Ride and My Bloody Valentine. We’ve all been in other bands but all agree that this is closest to the music we want to make. We are drawn to hooky, loud guitar music.
First concert that you ever went to?
JHE III: I think the first show that I bought tickets for and went to myself was maybe seeing the Love Language (legendary North Carolina band) at this place called the Soapbox in Wilmington when I was in high school. Was an amazing bar that put on all ages shows and you could do your laundry on the first floor. Wilmington hasn't ever really recovered from it shutting down. They turned it into a waffle house.
MK: One of the first local to Wilmington shows I went to was seeing He is Legend when I was maybe 14. We still like their music a lot and have gotten to know some of the guys. First big National show I went to was probably seeing Bloc Party and Minus the Bear in Winston Salem.
What's your writing process like?
MK: Holt and I are the primary songwriters but everyone contributes ideas. We have been pretty reflective over the last couple years figuring out life and where we are going. We talk a lot about our lives and relationships as friends. Our lyrics have been pretty introspective up to this point but there is collaboration on all instrumentation, lyrics and artwork in our band.
What other artists or songs inspire your music?
JHE III:Figured I would take this one as the resident nerd
1. 92 degrees-Siouxsie and the Banshees: Tinderbox is really the record that got me into this band. My parents didn’t listen to Siouxsie very much so I kind of discovered them on my own and was blown away. The production is just incredible and the guitars really sparkle on this song. The way the guitar melodies underpin her vocals throughout the song was really inspiring to me when writing lead parts for songs like ‘24’ and ‘Somehow’ on the record.
2. Here's Where the Story Ends- The Sundays: I adore the Sundays and this record in particular is one of my favorites. Completely guilty of trying to ape the 12 string strummed acoustic sound from this song on our song "Rust".
3. Slowdive-Slowdive: This is such a beautiful song. Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead's vocals really evoke a sense of yearning and McKay and I feel like we try to channel similar feelings in the songs that we write for Lauds. I also love it when bands are self referential, and I guess in this case they are also referencing the Banshees.
4. Hide- Secret Shame: Secret Shame are an incredible band from Asheville. This track with its bassline and vocal hook is a real ear-worm. A buddy of mine and I went to see them earlier this year at Ruby Deluxe in Raleigh and we were completely blown away by their energy and just how good the songs were. Lena, their vocalist is incredible and absolutely belts it live. I love their new record and and while not an explicit influence on our music I feel as though we operate in similar spheres sonically so I wanted to shout them out.
5. The Disillusionist- The Church: Menacing song. Not expressedly political but seems to gain poignancy with each passing year. Marty Wilson-Piper and Peter Koppes guitar-interplay is definitely an influence on our sound. Priest = Aura is such a great record.
6. In Blur- Deafheaven: This was probably my favorite track of 2021. I love that it’s a bit of an homage to Vapor Trail by Ride. I’m a huge Deafheaven (and Ride) fan and the more post rock oriented bits of their songs are definitely an influence on us. I still probably listen to ‘Sunbather’ all the way through once a week.
7. Return of the Roughnecks- The Chameleons: Riff after riff after riff after riff. Profound and powerful lyrics. An all time moment for us as a band was opening up a solo acoustic show for Mark Burgess this summer. Lovely guy and a dream come true for us.
8. When I turn 50- Dulce Hombre: Dulce Hombre is our friend Jeff Corkery’s solo project. We wrote the song Distant Images together and he is one of the best musicians and guitar players I know. His first EP as Dulce Hombre is incredible. Mix of dancehall, Costello type power pop, surf rock. Sounds like drinking mojitos all day by the pool with your friends.
9. Burnt Almonds- Mute Swan: James, the boss of our label Fort Lowell, showed me this band who I believe are from Tucson. Guitars, bass, drums, all locked to kind of make one big mega-riff. Super hypnotic. The record this song is on ‘Only Ever’ is unreal in the car. Would love for Lauds to play with them some day.
What's the live experience like and your philosophy on playing live? Do you think the music live should be identical to the recorded version or should it be it's own thing?
As a band you are always working to make the live show better. I feel like we have found the right pieces to do that. We don’t have a lot of theatrics. We put a lot of effort into just getting through all the parts as cleanly as we can while also trying to put feeling into the vocals. We are really working on recreating some of the background vocals from recordings being featured more in live shows. We are also trying to connect more with the crowd. It used to feel like we were just trying to survive shows because there was a lot of moving parts with pedals and riffs that were 10 percent above our abilities at the time. Now we have gotten better and it feels like we can have fun. It’s also cool to see people singing out there. That means a lot to us.
Has the band tour? What has the touring experience been, best shows? worst shows?
MK: We haven’t really toured but we have played shows in the Triangle and are getting more traction in Winston Salem and western NC. Best show is definitely getting to open for Mark Burgess of the Chameleons at Monstercade in Winston Salem. We haven’t had any terrible shows from a crowd or venue standpoint. But I do remember feeling the most stressed out about playing a show in the triangle the Sunday after thanksgiving. It was rainy and we left some gear and we’re all feeling stressed about whether we had done enough to promote it. It actually turned out fine and we all agreed we needed to be better prepared if we were going to be going on the road. We’ve had opportunities to get on the road more but we’ve been learning from weekend trips and waiting to put out an album til now.
What's up next for the band?
MK:We’ve already been recording new stuff and we will either have a new batch of EPs or album within the next year. It took us a long time to get our self titled EP out but I feel like we have been cooking since then and feeling more certain about the type of songs we want to write. We are also working more on visuals for our music. We’ve known that it is important but haven’t taken the time u til recently to work with some of our visual artist friends. Be on the look out for those!
Join us Saturday, December 31st at Satellite Bar & Lounge in Wilmington, North Carolina for our New Year's Eve celebration, featuring a live concert performance by Kicking Bird — who's debut album Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be released in the new year (more to come on that) — followed by a Let's Dance DJ Set by Fort Lowell Records!
