Release date for “Temporary High” is July 20th. On Jem Records. CD/LP/Digital. Also Sugarbush Records is releasing a limited number of LPs for UK/European fans.

Pre-order at Amazon, and it will be available on my band camp site as well. http://www.nickpiunti.com and click on the link of your choice to hear, buy it.

Listen

How did the new record came together?

The album came together as they always do, when I have enough new songs written that I deem “album worthy”. I then head to the studio with Geoff Michael producing, and lay down a scratch guitar and vocal, make sure the tempo, key is right, then go from there. Donny Brown has played drums on my last 4 albums and Andy Reed has played bass on the last 3, so they know exactly what to do.

What can we expect?

I’m a “seasoned songwriter” (a.k.a. OLD) so I definitely have my own style. I don’t try to re-invent what I do, Just try to make it good, and hopefully in some ways better than what I’ve done before.

You produced some high high quality records the last couple of years and received praise for them. Any pressure when you start a new record?

There’s really no pressure, just my own expectations and standards I guess. Though “Temporary High” will be my 4th album in 5 years, I’m not on any kind of schedule to make the next record. I only make records if I’m excited about the current batch of songs.

‘She is in six bands none of them good’, that line still makes me smile every time I hear it. What makes a good Nick Piunti lyric?

I think my best lyrics happen when the first line of the song is strong and engages the listener. Hopefully that first line will grab someone and make them want to hang around for the story to unfold. I think the new album has a lot of those kind of opening lines. the first 3 songs have those kind of hooky lyrics…”Never heard the word no as a kid, so you did what you did”…’You’re perfect and I’m not”…”You invented Hell, and Heaven in the same night, whatever you decide”…

And what about the melodies?

Melodies is really where it’s at, especially in Power Pop. The best songs seem to happen when the melody and lyric occur at the same time, or at least at the same sitting. So melody, hooks are so important, but if the lyrics are fluff, I lose interest.