Stateside - Sound In The Signals Interview
📸 @shutterhappyjose |
I recently had the opportunity to interview Ben of Stateside. We discussed their new album ‘Where You Found Me’, lyrical inspiration, cover art, upcoming shows, and more. Check it out below.
First, thanks for the interview.
Thanks for having us again!
The last time I interviewed your band was right before you released the ‘It’s What We Do’ EP. In between that time to now, it seems like it’s been a whirlwind for the band. How have the last few years felt?
It’s been a crazy ride for sure. I feel like it’s surprised all of us at how quickly Stateside has taken off. We really didn’t expect this much, this fast. Specifically, we all have had to rethink our career choices to be able to make available the time and effort required to keep it growing. That’s been a continuous challenge that we’re all still figuring out.
Your new album ‘Where You Found Me’ recently came out. I think it’s one of the best albums I’ve heard this year. What did you want to achieve with this album both sonically and creatively?
Thank you! We wanted to make something that felt comprehensive and more mature, a proper “record” that has flow and dynamics, not just a mixtape of the same song ten times over. We’ve always been influenced by the sounds of 90s emo and rock bands and that really came out through the midsection of the record. Slower tempos, drum machines and percussion, and the string section outro part to name a few. We definitely stepped out of our comfort zone and worked to expand the sonic boundaries of what Stateside is.
Thematically, Where You Found Me is something of a metaphorical journal of our feelings and experiences since we started the band - like a “this right here, this is where we’re at” type of statement. There’s a lot of retrospective lyrics about dealing with growing up, managing relationships, and the emotional fallout of losing people in your life. There’s also a lot that are more present and reflect what it’s like being out on tour frequently and how that impacts life back home.
Do you have a favorite lyrical or musical moment from the album? Why?
Aly’s Song has that bridge part that pulls back to just the bass, then builds up with the rest of the band coming back in. The way it hits on that big half time section makes my hair stand up every time. It’s so cathartic.
One thing that’s really interesting is that you end the album with “Mile Marker” and that’s such a strong song. What made you choose to close the album with that song?
It’s stereotypical for records in this genre to end on the most dramatic track or the ballad. That’s the expected move. We wanted to subvert that by ending the record on a higher note energy wise and bring things back to where they started.
Pure Noise released some really great vinyl variants for the album and Kamtin Mohager did the design. I know you’ve worked with him before, but what made you want to continue working with him on the album?
The crux of Stateside is a fresh take on old familiar ideas, reimagining nostalgic sounds. The packaging has to fulfill the same goal and look the part. Kam just has a brilliant talent for translating the vibe of the music into the visual realm. I remember our cover inspirations being Stay What You Are by Saves The Day, Everynight Fireworks by Hey Mercedes, and britpop stuff like Oasis and The Verve - all candid shots, people in motion. He pulls from the same influences we do for his work, so it was like “yeah, I know exactly how to make that happen” right from the start when the conversations started going about cover art.
Where did you take the photos you used for the artwork? Can you tell us more about those?
We took all the photos for the cover and layout at Reservoir Hill Park in Cerritos, which was suggested by Lemus. It’s a big hill with a flat open area on top, ringed by trees on the outside slope. It was supposed to be sunny that day (which is what we wanted), but it ended up being hazy and overcast when we all arrived. I think it actually helped the vibe of the cover by not feeling too bright and shiny.
It was us, Kam, Joe, and about a dozen close friends who pulled up and we basically just hung out and talked while they took photos, sometimes moving one or two of us around to look better in the frame. At one point, I raised my arms and leaned backwards to stretch, feeling stiff from all the standing around. Kam liked how it looked and had me recreate it for every shot thereafter, which was kind of annoying in the moment, having to pose over and over. But it did look cool in the end!
You have a lot of stuff coming up. One thing I think is really cool is that you’re playing some shows with The Starting Line. I know that band had a big influence on your band coming together. How does it feel to be playing shows with them now?
It honestly feels surreal. Erik playing The Starting Line on his phone at work with Lemus was the reason this band started at all. None of us expected a full circle moment like this to come so early in our career as a band. We’re very much looking forward to those shows.
Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions. Do you have anything else that you would like to add?
Expect us to stay busy with more shows and touring in the near future. Give Where You Found Me a listen if you haven’t already!
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