In jest, Day affectionately dubs this self-named compilation of 10 irresistibly catchy pop tunes as the ‘Me Me Me’ album. Each lyric delves into deeply personal territory, with melodies that linger long after they’ve played. While one might initially be captivated by the infectious tunes, there’s more beneath the surface awaiting discovery. This album is a treasure trove for those willing to dive deeper.

You can discover ‘Fountain Of Truth’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?

I played my last show with The Zags in early two thousand twenty, right before SARS-CoV-2 changed the world. March two thousand twenty brought illness, disorientation, and an extended interruption of my creative flow. It wasn’t until December of two thousand twenty-one that the artistic impulse started to return to me. I discovered how easy it was to use virtual instruments to create musical sketches on my tablet computer, and I dove into writing new music. Within about a week, I had the arrangements for half the songs on this record sketched out.

In two thousand twenty-two, I began releasing a combination of works-in-progress, older demos, and live tracks each month, which I’m still doing to this day. (I think there are now forty-something tracks available for my subscribers on Bandcamp and Patreon!) I spent two thousand twenty-two and two thousand twenty-three writing lyrics and recording parts, one song at a time, along with drawing artwork for each. Then I decided to release the new songs as an album, and started making stereo mixes and an album cover design. I’m not the most organized or timely person (see my song “Brain Drain”), so getting the release ready has been a real challenge!

As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?

In past work, I’ve bared my emotions very little. I tend to write with some emotional distance, either about impersonal topics like historical understandings of the planet Venus, or from the perspective of a character who is not that similar to me. I do have a couple of older songs that reflect my struggles with depression, but I’ve mostly drawn a pretty hard line between my personal life and my songwriting.

My approach has changed with this record. With the exception of Lady Beetle, which is literally just some musings about lady beetles, all the songs on “Day Dreems” flow very directly from my personal experiences and concerns. It’s definitely uncomfortable for me — vulnerability is scary! But it also feels good to make such a personal record. I hope my feelings and perspectives resonate with some listeners, so that we might all feel a bit less alone.

Imagine you could collaborate with three co-writers of your choice for new songs. Who would you select, and what qualities or dynamics draw you to them?

My ideal collaborator would be someone to ask me probing questions that help me write lyrics. And someone to cheer me on and give me a sense of urgency about finishing work. And someone who is well-organized and good at talking to strangers to help me get the music out there and connect with my audience. So maybe like a therapist, a coach, and a PR expert? Or just Paul McCartney? I think he might have all those skills, plus, you know, some musical and lyrical abilities, too.

My most successful co-writing experiences have been where we would literally trade off lines or verses, not really working together so much as working in dialogue with each other. I’d enjoy trying that with some more people. If I limit my choices to active artists, I might include Shannon Shaw, Mo Troper, Palehound, Kevin Barnes, Mary Timony, Euros Childs, Mitski, and Norman Blake. I think they all have enough in common with my tastes to mesh well, while bringing enough different influences to generate something that is different from what I’d make alone.

Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?

I’m not sure whether many of the lyrics on this record need much explanation, but I think they’re powerful if not necessarily profound.

“The Bad Old Days” paints a pretty clear picture of the growing fascist minority in the U.S.A. If they had their way, only white cisgender heterosexual Christian non-disabled people would be recognized as having basic rights, and the women within that group would be subject to the will of the men. “They say their enemies are weak but also strong. They say it’s obvious which people should belong. And the rest of us can serve them if we just behave, and thank them for the crumbs they gave. But if being who you are is likely to disrupt, get ready to be rounded up!” The scary thing is that I’m not creating a straw man; they talk about removing civil rights and about punishing their political enemies! I hope we can get those folks to at least stuff their supremacist attitudes back into the closet, if they can’t figure out why they ought to care about other people in a plural society.

I also hope that “F Natural” might help some people give up on the notion that natural = good. “It’s natural to be dying of disease,” after all. And if people want to use medical interventions to prevent or end pregnancy, or to change their secondary sex characteristics, that should be their right as well — bodily autonomy! “Your body’s made for you, not a temple or taboo. Go ahead and change the things you want to! They may say it’s a facade, or that you are playing god. You’ll live inside their heads and pay no rent. But nature’s just an accident..”

Albums often involve collaboration with various musicians and producers. Could you shed light on how these collaborations contributed to shaping the album’s identity?

In this case, the album’s identity was shaped powerfully by the absence of collaboration. I’ve been writing and recording pop songs for decades now, but I’ve always done it in the context of bands. I’ve hardly ever even been the sole songwriter in a band! Working all alone had its downsides — no one else was there to help when I got stuck in the mud — but it also meant that I could be guiltlessly brutal in my judgments and edits. When I’m working in a group, I assume everyone is there because they get to express themselves, and I’m quite cautious about asking for changes or trying to overrule my bandmates. With no collaborators, I can embody my inner control freak! One consequence is that this record is probably more polished and consistent than anything I’ve made previously. Hopefully not to the point of sterility!

In the digital age, visual elements are intertwined with music. How did you approach the album’s visual aesthetics, such as album art and accompanying visuals? How do they complement the sonic experience you’ve crafted?

Like the rest of the album’s production (songwriting, arranging, performance, recording, mixing, mastering), the visual elements were all created by me. They also all include depictions (drawings or photos) of me. So I suppose that reflects the higher degree of personal expression and vulnerability that I’ve allowed myself with this album. Me, me, me, me, me! Lol.

Luke, celebrated for his role in Ulysses, introduces a mesmerizing solo track titled ‘Car Trouble‘, evoking the essence of The Cars, Weezer, or Jellyfish throughout, with an exceptional guitar solo adding an additional touch of allure and excellence.

You can discover ‘Car Trouble’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

Could you share the journey of bringing this record to life? How did all the pieces come together to create the final product?

Myself and Tom have been friends for years but never actually worked together, then recently I did some session work for him and he offered to do one song with me to get off my arse (I hadn’t been particularly motivated to finish / put out new music etc. I kind of wrote a song to order and demoed it roughly at home, then we did a couple of days at Tom’s place where we remade it from the ground back up, much better of course, with the bits I didn’t like improved / changed and lots of great ideas from Tom arrangement and sounds-wise.

Was there a particular moment or experience that struck you, signalling that you were onto something special with this project?

As soon as the backing track started coming together at Tom’s, also when I did my first main vocal (which we used) when I did the ‘whoo-ooh-ooh’ bit at the end.

The decision to seek opinions on your new songs is intriguing. When did you realise that external perspectives could contribute to your creative process?

It’s very hard to do everything on your own, the right people to work with creatively help to spark great moments and help to give you an overview of what you are doing. The end result of music for me is to create a song or a moment that you didn’t know was going to happen – it’s magic.

Success can take on different meanings as time goes on. When envisioning success for this new record, what does that picture look like now?

I’m just happy that all the old Ulysses fans are enjoying it! (As far as I’m aware).

As an artist, the act of baring your emotions to the world is profound. Does this vulnerability come naturally to you, or is it a constant journey of finding comfort?

It comes naturally to me but I try not to think about it to be honest!

Imagine you could collaborate with three co-writers of your choice for new songs. Who would you select, and what qualities or dynamics draw you to them?

Jonathan Wilson producing, Ariel Pink even though he’s a Trump-loon, and Paul McCartney on drums. Something good would come out, probably!

Defining a song’s completion can be elusive. How do you determine when a composition has reached its final, ready-to-record form?

Sometimes you just know from the feeling, that’s it’s finished, sometimes you just have to stop when you’ve done the best that you can do.

Lyrics often carry profound meaning. Are there particular lines you hope listeners will always remember from your songs? If so, what’s the significance?

I work hard on making the lyrics as good as I can do them. I always like to have some black comedy in there and some kind of human truth in a line or two somewhere.

Can you recall the last instance when you felt the immediate certainty of having penned a hit song?

This one.

With the resurgence of cassettes, imagine curating your inaugural mixtape. Which five songs would be must-adds and why?

Air ‘Ce matin-là’, James Gang ‘Take a Look Around’, Ariel Pink ‘Mature Themes’, Bobby Conn & The Glass Gypsies ‘Relax’, and Dave Dee Dozy Beaky Mick & Tich ‘Save Me’. Why? Because they are all Godlike.

Performing music before an audience holds a unique allure. What aspects of this experience contribute to the excitement and enjoyment for you?

When people truly lose themselves in the moment, it’s the best.

In a hypothetical scenario where you could tour with two other bands, who would be your ideal companions and what synergies do you envision?

The Black Crowes, so I can guest on some guitar with them, and Weezer so I can guest on some singing with them.

Where do you see yourself situated within the broader landscape of the music industry? How do you perceive your unique role and contribution?

I see myself very near the bottom, along with many other good people (and bad). This is the new Independent situation.

With the record completed and the music released, do you believe the pinnacle of enjoyment has been reached, or is this just the beginning of an exciting phase?

There’s nothing quite like that moment when you first finish recording the definitive version of a great new song.

Looking ahead to the next couple of months, what exciting plans or projects are on the horizon for you?

Recording more new songs, making more new videos, also playing bits and bobs with lots of other people such as Nick Frater, Hector, Bingo Wings, Captain Francisco – lots!