Modern rivals are an indie pop band based in Brooklyn. While on the surface they’re a very competent group of musicians with a very easy on the ear indie sound, it isn’t until you delve a little deeper in their music and their lyrics that you discover there is a sinister side to the band. There is a youthful, buoyant energy surround Modern Rivals and it’s hard not to like them.Their brilliant debut album Cemetery Dares was released recently and its ten songs that incorporate the soul and swagger of 60s psych-pop, but with a technical contemporary twist. It’s a lot of fun to listen to. I had the pleasure of interviewing the band.
B.G.M – First of all, tell us a little bit about how you came together to start a band.
Modern Rivals – Schiff, Mickey and I went to college together in St. Louis. Mickey was literally the first person I met there. I walked into my freshman dorm for the first time and he was carrying a guitar and amp up the stairs. We didn’t end up forming a band for a couple years though. I knew how talented Schiff was cause we went to high school together, and I knew how odd and creative Mickey’s untrained guitar playing was so it seemed like it could be an interesting project. Once we moved to New York we solidified the line up with Raderman who I also knew from high school, and recently we added Patrick who I met working at a studio.
How did you settle on the name Modern Rivals?
It was the only name that we came up with that nobody hated!
Congratulations on the recent release of your excellent debut album Cemetery Dares, talk us through the song writing process behind it.
Thanks! It was definitely a process that evolved as we went through the various stages of production. With the exception of a couple older songs that are on the record, most of the album was actually written on the computer. We would come up with an initial idea and then write and arrange the song simultaneously in the computer, recording a demo version as we went. We’d come up with a vocal melody and record it with temporary lyrics before handing off the song to Mickey, who writes the majority of the lyrics. We’d have some discussions about how the song felt and what it meant to us before Mickey would actually write anything, and then we’d revise and edit the lyrics together to best reflect the meaning of the song. Meanwhile, we’d bring the arrangements to the rest of the band at rehearsal where we’d tweak our effects and edit parts until we were happy with the live arrangement at which point we would consider the song finished.
How did the move from St. Louis to New York affect the band?
Only three of us made the move so the biggest change was in personnel. Adding Raderman on drums was huge for us because he is insanely capable and wise musically. We can write pretty much anything for him to play and he can figure out how to do it perfectly in about five minutes. The drum part on “A Shade Hesitating” is a great example of that. He also plays the part of ass-kicker and keeps us in check groove-wise. We would be a much less tight band if he wasn’t around. We’ve learned so much from him.
The other big change was leaving the fantasy land that is college and facing a lot of big questions about what was actually important to us, and how we could stay afloat and so on. That took us a couple years to figure out and during that time we focused a lot less on the band as we tried to set ourselves up, so to speak.
Where was the album recorded?
We recorded the album at Rare Book Room in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Kyle “Slick” Johnson produced and mixed it. We were pumped to work with him cause we’ve loved the work he’s done with Wavves, Modest Mouse, and most recently So So Glos.
How did the recording process go? Did you encounter any problems?
There were a couple electrocutions, and our producer Kyle had food poisoning for the first couple days. In other news, Mickey unknowingly had full on tuberculosis at the time. He ended up quarantined for about two months in his apartment and had to sit out a tour! Luckily he made a full recovery and only one of us was affected (ME) — I got off pretty easy though just taking some medicine and no alcohol for a few months. So conditions were tough! But besides that, it was a great experience and felt so good to be in this creative wonderland for ten days. We recorded most of the album live, all playing together in the room which was definitely a more magical experience than painstakingly overdubbing every part.
Does Cemetery Dares have a concept? What is the overall theme of the album if any?
Cemetery Dares is about juxtaposing a youthful, hopeful view of the world against what is often a much darker reality. It’s about making the mental transition from seeing the world as a beautiful, exciting place to seeing it as a place rife with injustices and tragedies, and possibly transitioning back again to the positive view. The first song “Angel Bones,” was inspired by the Newtown tragedy, which is a stark example of the aforementioned juxtaposition, but we end the album with “Pins and Stitches” which brings us back to the idea that the world is what you make of it. Peace and happiness are always available to us if we can exist fully in the moment and connect to the people and things around us. The loop that plays at the end of the album is the beginning of “Angel Bones” in reverse — the reawakening of youthful joy.
What song off of album do you think would sound the coolest when played backwards? Are there any subliminal messages hidden in them?
Besides what we just mentioned, from a purely sonic point of view “Somnipath” probably sounds pretty crazy played backwards! Probably the trippiest part of the album so why not take it to the next level? As for subliminal messages, you can probably imagine after the last question that many of the songs are lyrically a lot darker than one might notice on first listen.
Your sound has been compared to bands such as Zombies and Minus The Bear. Do you agree with this comparison? What are some your main influences?
It’s been interesting to hear all the comparisons because they’ve been so incredibly varied. We’ve actually never really listened to a lot of them, including the two you just mentioned. That said, we’ve listened to tons of music in a lot of different genres and we’re always happy when people compare us in some way to a band that we love and respect. But it’s also awesome to hear comparisons to bands we aren’t familiar with. To us, it’s a good sign that nobody can seem to really pin us down.
Describe an average Modern Rivals live show in three words.
In order of appearance, from our perspective: Nerves. Trance. Euphoria.
How do you guys prepare for a live performance?
Rehearsal for sure. When we can we try to have some kind of visual aspect — lights or projections. Once we’ve done soundcheck we try to eat something. We’ve learned at this point that heavy greasy foods are not the best choice pre-show!
What are you guys up to on days away from writing or performing music?
Most of us are lucky enough to make a living from music exclusively. Schiff and I are both composers, writing scores for film, television, and advertising. Raderman is such a good drummer and awesome guy that he’s in demand enough to make a living solely playing gigs. Patrick works with me in the studio, also writing when he can. Mickey is a huge literature buff so he spends his days reading manuscripts for a literary agency.
Do you have any advice for new, upcoming bands that you’d like to share?
Not sure if we’re qualified just yet as we’re very much new and upcoming ourselves. I guess from a creative point of view, I’d just say trust yourself.
Lastly, now that you have an album under your belt, what are your plans for the future?
Time to start on another one! And hopefully a tour this summer.