All the way from Edinburgh, two Scottish lads decided to introduce the world to a new breed of dreamy indie rock. Featuring vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Jake Barry and multi-instrumentalist and producer Jack Davis. (Almost) lifelong friends, Jake and Jack have been performing together since the age of 13. The last two years, however, have been spent developing and recording their debut album for MarionvilleModels. We chatted with Jake and Jack about their single ‘Over So Soon’ and much more!
Why did you decide to enter the music industry?
Jack: I’ve played music for as long as I can remember, so it just sort of happened.
Jake: We started playing together when we were around 14 and haven’t ever had a conversation about stopping, so it was pretty natural. Jack’s parents are musicians and he’s far more theoretically proficient than me so I always assumed he’d become a professional in some capacity. I just love writing songs and am very lucky that my best friend wants to record them with me.
What can you tell us about your release ‘Over So Soon’?
Jake: Well, it’s the second single from our upcoming debut album Punta Prima. It was actually the last song written for the record and definitely one of the hardest to get right, even though structurally, it’s a pretty straightforward song. We were trying to nail a Madonna ‘Beautiful Stranger’ meets fuzz-rock vibe, and I think we did pretty well.
Jack: This is one of a number on the record that we tracked live with my friends Matias and Charlie on bass and drums. I’ve played with them in a few different bands over the years and their chemistry is great. They really added a lot to the project. Once we had their parts down, Jake and I really just built it from there. Usually by the time we record, Jake has a song pretty well developed and I just add some sparkles and help fill in the gaps, so to speak.
What was the recording and writing process like?
Jake: Often, I spend months on songs, but every now and then one just seems to materialise quite quickly. I was playing around with a fuzz pedal and the riff that bookends the song came into my head. Once I’d worked it out, the rest of the song came quite easily. Like 99.9% of our songs, it was largely written at night in my bedroom.
Jack: It took a lot of tweaking until we were happy. I added some synths, I forget what, and some cymbals and percussion. We felt it needed more shimmer, especially in the choruses. The drums are layered with some samples I made from our first single ‘Reminds Me’. They had this really nice lofi quality and that just helped give it some heft without really losing that.
What do you hope people take from the single?
Jake: I hope people dig it and I hope it makes them want to listen to more of our music.
Which is more challenging for you – melody or lyrics?
Jake: It varies from song to song. As I said, with ‘Over So Soon’ I was lucky that the whole thing came to me pretty quickly, but usually I’ll start with music and once I have something I like I’ll just play it over and over until I think of something to sing over it. Usually, the harder and more consciously I try to write lyrics, the worse they are. Quite often I think I have something exactly how I want it and it’s only once we’re recording vocals that Jack will suggest ideas and alterations that make it better.
Describe your music in two words.
Jake and Jack: Colourful and direct.
What do you think is the best way to discover new music?
Jack: Talk to people, share what you love and be open to suggestions.
What does the future hold for MarionvilleModels?
Jack: Hopefully, some gigs! Although, it looks like we’re going to have to make 2021 our year now. We were hoping to tour our upcoming record Punta Prima, but given the whole Covid-19 situation we’ve decided to just crack on with recording another album.
Jake: Without looking too hard for silver linings, I guess it will be nice to have an abundance of new material to road test when live music eventually starts back up again.
What advice do you have for any person planning to become a musician?
Jack: Don’t compare yourself to anyone; no-one thinks like you.
Jake: Never completely close your mind to music you think you don’t like. It’s nice to be surprised and learning from a wide range of people will make you a better player and a better writer.
Do you have a message for our readers?
Jake: Remember to listen to our album Punta Prima on June 19th!
Jack: Keep supporting independent blogs; they have great taste!
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