album-reviews

Introducing Dream Pony: The Irresistible Sound of Neo Glam

Posted on by patrickdonders

Dream Pony draws inspiration from the Ramones, The Velvet Underground, and The Strokes, crafting a unique sound they call Neo Glam. Their music could also be perfectly described as New York Pop. This debut album is simply irresistible.

You can find ‘TONIGHT’ showcased on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

Sweet Sweet Music talked to Jordan D’Arsie.

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

I think there’s a line to be walked between some part of looseness and some form of structure. We usually have parts and things semi-worked out and understood, but a lot happens when the song is finally being put onto tape.

Usually, we kick it around a bit in the room until we are somewhat satisfied, and then we add things to it as we go. I think the thing is you’re chasing something, but you also need to be open to accept things that come along. Often, these elements present themselves, and when they do, you make the decision.

Striking a balance between experimental artistry and commercial appeal is a challenge. How do you navigate this dynamic within your music?

It’s not something I really think about while writing a song. I feel a good song is a good song, and whether it has commercial viability or not is not really a factor. There are so many amazing unknown songs, important songs to us that, for one reason or another, never really broke through to a commercial market. I think the exercise of writing a song needs to remain separate from any predetermined outcome, and that way, it’s able to form itself the way it wants to.

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

There are a few messages throughout the record. Different things hit you at different times, and also, people receive things in certain ways and have distinct takeaways. I guess that’s the pleasure of writing and reading.

There are a few lines scattered through the album that are hopeful, and I think in general, they are trying to convey to people to stay true to yourself and follow your heart. Lines like in “Sunday Suits,” “some people like to save all their money, some people like to favor their dreams” and “Suspicion Today,” “Do you remember that love, oh what it would feel like, I want you to know”.

Things like that, I just wanted to share some hope and convey that imagination can set you free amongst some of the darker themes that are throughout this album.

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?

That’s a tough one, there are so many! If I had to pick three, it would be John Felice from Real Kids; I just love his songs, energy, and everything about the band’s spirit. They really lift me up. Patti Smith would be another I’d love to have the opportunity to collaborate with. I’d love to see how her process of writing a song unfolds, and I don’t know what I could offer haha, but I’d love to be in the room and see what happens. My third would be Tim Rogers from You Am I; I’ve always been a big fan of his songwriting, and I’d love to see what unfolds. All of this being said, I’d probably be way too shy to be able to do it. I would certainly freeze up and likely say something really silly haha.

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?

Being our debut album for Dream Pony, we wanted to create something that reflected the album title Suspicion Today but also Dream Pony as a concept. I wanted to create a dreamlike space for the songs to exist within. I had this concept of something floating around like the bridge in our song “Sunday Suits” and the ethereal being out there, however, casting a shadow below so in some ways it floats but still touches something. We purposefully wanted it to cast that shadow and reflect some kind of tangible illusion. We sourced several objects and various horse statues that we workshopped until we came upon the cloud background and pony plush toy, which we named Tony the pony. The artwork was captured by our great friend and super-talented photographer Ryan Slack at Mediumplex studio in Brooklyn.

Behind Vital Signs: The Journey of a Restless Songwriter

Posted on by patrickdonders

Now that More Kicks is a thing of the past, James Sullivan, with Vital Signs, has delivered an exceptional record. It’s sophisticated, melodic, narrative-driven, and utterly intriguing! Here is a restless writer at the top of the songwriting game.

You can discover ‘Day Late Dollar Short’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

James, your record is truly beautiful and diverse. Did refining your sound after More Kicks disbanded come naturally?

Thanks! I actually finished this record before More Kicks ended. We’d finished the second record, Punch Drunk, and everything was at the pressing plant with Dirtnap and Stardumb. So we were sort of planning some touring around that release, but it was all 9-12 months in the future. I’d been writing so much for the two years leading up to that point and I didn’t want to stop. I also knew my lease was running out on the little studio space I rent, so I had about three months before I would have to move out of that.

So it was kind of a no-brainer to just keep on writing and recording. Honestly, I was a little worried about my state of mind without new music actively happening and I was quite burned out from writing so much for More Kicks, so making a new record on my own was an easy decision to make. I didn’t necessarily think it would be another album because there is always a chance that it turns out completely shit. Especially without the tasteful filter of Paolo and Kris (bass and drums from More Kicks) being applied to the songs. But as long as I was writing and recording something new, I knew I would feel okay.

Then I finished the ten songs and Punch Drunk was almost ready, so it was time to go and tour that thing. Vital Signs was done and even mastered, but it was just sitting on my computer. Six months later, I realized I didn’t want to do More Kicks anymore and I even had a completed record ready to go, so I finally got my arse in gear to get it released. I sent it to Stefan at Stardumb to see if he’d be interested – god bless him, he was – sorted out the artwork. Then that all takes a little while again, and here we are.

So the sound was just an amalgamation of physical limitations and the freedom of it not needing to be played by three people on a stage. There are so many limitations when making the record like that on my own. I record everything on an 8-track tape machine so I only have eight tracks to play with. Plus my own limited recording capabilities, I can’t play the drums and I suck at piano so that comes into play as well. Tiny cupboard-sized ‘studio’, loads of noise coming from everywhere in the building. In my head, I was going to make a huge orchestral piece, but that is simply not possible in those surroundings haha.

In terms of refining that sound, I just wanted it to have more space than my previous records. Less frenetic, more textures, a broader feel. I often wish I could embrace jam band aesthetics but that is essentially impossible if you’re playing things on your own and it’s all on tape so you can’t edit anything after recording. Plus, I’m quite a brutal editor of my own stuff, so what starts off in my head as ‘this will be a really long and tedious drone instrumental with almost no melody’ ends up becoming quite a concise pop song.

Your lyrics are captivating. Is writing them a smooth process for you?

Ah well thank you! I would say quite smooth, yes. I usually make a little demo of the song while I’m writing and the lyrics come last. I have nonsense placeholders in there while writing and then figure out what they should actually be once the music is at least mostly structured and worked out.

So I’m usually quite tired by the time it comes to writing the words. I like to write them very quickly and usually about 90% of those tired lyrics are there in the final version – just some tweaks here and there for better phrasing etc. Sometimes I think that might be why I often seem quite sad in the words – I’m just a bit tired by that point.

I usually write the chorus first and work backward to fill in the verses. That seems to help with the flow of setting the scene and the theme, and then getting a good payoff with the chorus. So the second verse can often be difficult because I’ve got a narrative that ‘ends’ with a chorus, but I have to continue the story for the second verse somehow. But yeah, I would say once the chorus words are in place, the rest of the words seem to come quite quickly.

I’m intrigued by ‘Guilty as Charged’. Can you share how that song came to be?

I had already started recording and while I was listening back to what I’d done, it all felt quite unambitious and nice. Exactly this idea of expanding the horizon is where I was going with Guilty As Charged, and also the song which precedes it, ‘Dronify’.

I was missing live drums on what I’d recorded. My friend Marco had played drums on Day Late Dollar Short and they sounded really nice. So I looped a few bars of him playing that song and just droned a bass riff over the top for four minutes. At this point, I realized I should essentially abandon structure and just go with the drone – so spoken word would be a good idea. I used that a bit on my first record ‘Light Years’ on the song ‘Lea Bridge’ so I liked the idea of returning to that.

I was reading ‘Nickel Boys’ by Colson Whitehead and he described someone as looking like they were ‘upholstered into their suit’. All disheveled and creased. I loved that. So I thought a character piece about whoever that person is would make for a great vignette. I wrote those words so fucking quickly, I’m not sure where it came from. The whole courtroom scene, the grotesque spectacle of a man getting sucked into thin air from within this horrible green linen suit. It really felt so freeing to write like that. A complete stream of consciousness that was absolutely not related to me or my life at all.

Many times I almost deleted that from the record because it felt thematically separate from everything else. If anyone had said to me ‘Erm, I’m not too sure about Guilty As Charged’, I would have definitely just thought, fuck it, and dropped it. But luckily, nobody heard the record except me until it was all finished. I’m glad it’s there.

Creating Vital Signs as a solo project must have been quite different from working with a band. What was that experience like?

Quick, instinctive, a little worrying because there is really no objective voice in the room at all. There is every chance that everything I’m recording is truly awful and I can’t tell because I’m far too close to the whole thing.

So it feels higher risk in one sense, but also lower risk in the sense that I have zero expectations for anything. Nobody is waiting for a James Sullivan solo record. I’m not even waiting for a James Sullivan solo record. I could quite easily finish a set of songs and then just do nothing with them and carry on with my life – as I almost did with these. But then, the ego in me can’t quite resist sharing them with the world in case other people also get a kick out of them.

Your new sound really showcases your vocal talents. Was this something you consciously aimed for?

Not at all, but I really appreciate that. With the self-recorded, straight to tape thing, I have to sing everything from start to finish in one take because I don’t have long enough arms to punch in the recording from where the microphone is in the room in relation to where the tape machine is. So it’s all in one take, or do the whole thing again. Which is mostly how I do it anyway – but this time it’s the only way I can physically do it.

I can definitely sing in tune; I don’t usually have problems with that. So having that one-take restriction probably adds a certain edge or sense of jeopardy to things. It definitely makes it feel more alive and, yep, more real.

What kind of compliment about Vital Signs would make you especially happy?

Christ, that’s quite difficult. I’m one of those dickheads who claims to not care about reviews but then when I get a nice one, I feel really good about it.

I think if people realize that I’m consciously trying new things, that I’m not scared of alienating listeners, that I am really really keen to not repeat myself, that makes me happy. I will scrap entire songs if they feel slightly too similar to something I’ve written before when it would be much easier to just tweak it slightly and record it. In fact, probably that would be an easier thing for listeners to get their heads around. I could have written More Kicks songs forever but I would have known I was cheating myself.

So I think if somebody told me I was a restless writer, that would make me very happy.

The Maureens – Everyone Smiles

Posted on by patrickdonders

The Maureens, hailing from the Netherlands, have introduced a new gem to their discography with ‘Everyone Smiles.’ This album features thirteen bright and lively pop tunes that Dutch critics aptly liken to the finest works of The Posies, Teenage Fanclub, and The Jayhawks. These comparisons are fitting, as, akin to these influences, ‘Everyone Smiles’ not only boasts beautiful melodies but also elevates its offerings to an exceptionally high level through harmonious vocals.

Hendrik-Jan de Wolff provides insights into the creation of ‘Everyone Smiles.’

You can discover ‘Stand Up!’ featured on the Best Power Pop of 2024 Spotify Playlist.

The initial responses on social media and the initial reviews for “Everyone Smiles” are positive. Did you sense that you were working on something special during the making of the album?

At the time, our focus was primarily on delivering the songs at their best. The journey to recording was extensive, spanning 2.5 years, including the challenging period of the pandemic. We crafted numerous songs and tested them in the rehearsal room before recording began. We were perhaps too close to the material to view it objectively, as the press and listeners do now.

The connection with Frans, our producer, was strong, as was our belief in the songs. However, judging our own “child” is always a challenge. It’s gratifying to receive positive reactions, especially when they capture the essence of what we love to create: songs with substance and clear influences from the Beatles and the 60s.

Frans Hagenaars, your producer, is credited with shaping the sound of Dutch Indie Pop. Did you ever inquire about his influence on the genre?

Absolutely. His work on albums with Johan and Daryll-Ann, among others, consistently features an edge and a vintage feel that aligns well with our music. Frans brings a unique perspective to recordings, emphasizing live performance and avoiding excessive perfection. In our pre-production discussions, his vision aligned seamlessly with our desires.

There is a substantial number of years between the release of ‘Something in the Air’ and ‘Everyone Smiles.’ What are the key moments in the history of the creation of this album?

Due to the Corona period, we could no longer rehearse weekly, leading to a different approach to creating songs. I worked extensively on songs on my own, often in collaboration with Stefan (drummer). However, this made it less of a band process and more fragmented.

During the recording week, several drastic choices were made, giving songs a completely different vibe, as if they had been through the car wash. Frans played a significant role in these decisions, whereas before, we were mainly at the helm ourselves.

This truly was a co-production, resulting in an album that sounds different from our previous records and has more of a live feel.

The harmony vocals stand out more on ‘Everyone Smiles’ than on previous albums. Is singing together a particularly enjoyable aspect for the band?

Absolutely! Harmonizing is a significant element for us, often introduced towards the end of the creative process. I pay careful attention to harmonies, recording vocal parts early on to emphasize their prominence in the song development. When we rehearse the vocals together, it feels like adding the perfect finishing touch. Singing together as a band gives the songs an extra lift, creating a beautiful synergy.

Being a Dutch band on a Spanish label is intriguing. Can you elaborate on that?

In 2018, the Spanish label Meritorio approached us with enthusiasm, showcasing a preference for guitar bands, especially jangle pop. We reached favorable agreements regarding vinyl pressing and promotional activities. Communication is straightforward through Whats App, and the connection with Spain provides additional attention (press) and opportunities for performances, which might not be as apparent otherwise.

What are your plans for the upcoming months?

“Everyone Smiles” is set to release on vinyl on January 26, followed by the album presentation at Tivoli on February 3. We aim to play in as many places as possible to promote the album. Additionally, we hope to schedule shows in Spain and England in May, details of which we’ll share soon. Stay tuned to social media and our website for updates. Meanwhile, we’re already immersed in creating new songs, as we don’t want to wait another five years for the next album.