After spending the last year releasing a flurry pf fresh and captivating works, Pittsburgh-based outfit Back Alley Sound recently returned to deliver their stunning new album 'I Wanted To Be'.
Channelling a mix of jazz, soul and hip-hop influences, 'I Wanted To Be' makes for an incredibly diverse listen. With a smooth and intoxicating groove running the length of the eight-track release, there is this insatiable flair they bring to each and every cut, making for a fun and enjoyable collection from start to finish.
So with the new album out now, we sat down with frontman Shark to find out more about his background and what has inspired him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
I never thought love was real until I heard Rob play sax. But he doesn’t even know I exist...
What kind of music did you love as a teenager?
Nobody-understands-me rock.
What was the first album you remember owning?
The first album I ever bought with my own money was Take This to Your Grave by Fall Out Boy. My grandma drove me to Borders so I could buy it. My grandma stays holding it down.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
All of our songs. We have a dedicated team of researchers and engineers working diligently to write all of our music based on market trends, test screenings, Magic 8-Ball fortunes, and Family Feud surveys. Shouts out to them.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Anytime we’re working on new music, it’s usually developed in the same fashion: we goof off at practice, someone plays something that catches another person’s ear, we explore that riff/vibe until it’s fully-formed, choreograph a synchronized dance, add the lyrics, cut the synchronized dance, then take it to the studio.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
A lot of fellow Pittsburgh artists like The Summercamp, Sierra Sellers, Normal Creatures, Benji., The Moat Rats & Abstract Theory just to name a few of the many.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Captain Geech & The Shrimp Shack Shooters. Next question.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
The comradery and laughs that you get out of being in a band with a bunch of phonies.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Being in a band with a bunch of phonies.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Just do it. Think different. Where’s the beef?
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Back Alley Sound's new album 'I Wanted To Be' is available to stream and download now. Have a listen to it in full via the player below.