February 23 | BuzzMusic
Coming from right here in sunny Los Angeles, The Mayblues are a trio that creates a soulful experience for their audience. They are known for their catchy melodies and lyrics and have a “Nirvana-Esque” aesthetic. The Mayblues write songs that tell their audience the story of the blues through the experiences of a hopeless romantic. Their first single “In Bed All Day” is a slow-fi track that sets their tone as a band to be “slumbering melancholy.” Since then, they have created many singles that are being considered to play in the popular TV show “Shameless.” These songs are set to be released in early 2020, thankfully The Mayblues have released another single called “Modern Nocturne.”
The introduction to “Modern Nocturne” is an instrumental segment that gives the song blues vibes. For the entirety of the song, the background music is a combination of a bass guitar melody, a classic drum beat, and skillful vibratos on guitars. Once the vocals kick in, “Modern Nocturne” incorporates a punk rock tone. The yearning is clear in the lead singer’s vocals which demonstrates his emotional life and passion. Lyrically, the passionate vocalist paints a picture of loneliness and heartbreak. The Mayblues have created a track that blends small elements from classic rock, blues, jazz, and punk into an original song. There are changes in pace and tone throughout “Modern Nocturne” which keeps it refreshing for the audience.
Listen to "Modern Nocturne" here.
Welcome to BuzzMusic The Mayblues! We were up and dancing to your song “Modern Nocturne.” Can you tell us about what inspired you to create that song?
A simple answer would be heartbreak from a relationship. However, to elaborate, I wanted to create a concept album that tells a narrative arc of my love life from 2014 to 2016, which was tumultuous and formative. “Modern Nocturne” is a chapter of that story that details the beginning, middle, and end of one of the more impactful relationships I had during that time. It’s slightly odd to call it a relationship because it was just a Tinder hookup that turned into a summer fling. I suppose it has become common nowadays for people to share many aspects of intimacy while protecting oneself in the guise of ambiguous, label-less affairs, which contrarily can create even more emotional turmoil. It was clear we were using each other to get over our respective past loves, except I ended up catching feelings—a vicious cycle of the pattern I’ve come to know all too well. Thematically speaking, there are roses she got from her friend’s wedding that she gave to me as a joke. I kept them for some reason, and they eventually wilted and died. Years later, I still have them on my nightstand next to my bed as a reminder, a memento, or just an internal symbolism of not being able to let go of past romance. I wanted to write a song about that I suppose.
You create such a unique style of music, can you tell us how you found each other and ended up starting a band that combines multiple genres?
Well, I had the concept for the kind of album I wanted to make early on. So I wrote all the songs and made home demos before even putting a band together to perform those songs. It was a therapeutic songwriting process through which I was able to reflect and make sense of a formidable period in my life. In terms of the unique style of music, I think it was due to how personal they were to the point of writing for myself only—I guess I wanted to make my own soundtracks to some of my most potent and nostalgic memories. Though it may seem self-absorbed and counterproductive, I wanted to intoxicate myself in my own misery as if it were some tragic melodrama. At least that way, my sadness would make sense like a movie. Consequently, I suppose I organically combined my guitar roots (grunge and blues), music that I associate with certain experiences, and what I listen to nowadays (cool jazz and lo-fi hip hop). As for the band, I had a difficult time finding members—no dice on online posts, Craigslist ads, flyers, and approaching strangers who seemed like musicians. I had a gig coming up in three months, and I was just about to quit it all. Luckily, I came across a documentary about The Pixies and how they found their bassist. Despite her not knowing how to play the bass, they decided to play together because she was into the same kind of music. I learned that you can always teach someone how to play but you can’t make someone want to be a part of a band. So I asked one of my closest friends from college who previously expressed how much he liked my music to join as a bassist. It was awesome how well his Guitar Hero video game skills transferred to learning to play the bass. Similarly, the trio was completed when a friend passed along my demos to her drummer friend who coincidentally was looking for a new band to join. I think such camaraderie goes a long way when playing live.
Your style of music has been compared to the hopeless romantics found in albums such as Frank Sinatra’s “In The Wee Small Hours.” Are there any other artists that have influenced your style of music?
There are too many to list, but some of the more recognizable ones that come to mind include: Chet Baker, Jack White, Nirvana, Arctic Monkeys, Shiloh Dynasty, Elliot Smith, and most importantly lofi hip hop radio - beats to relax/study to.
We loved having you here on BuzzMusic! Besides the list of singles that are being considered to appear in “Shameless,” can you tell us what we can expect from you as a band in the future?
There are more singles ready for release in the coming months. I probably will make music videos to accompany those singles as well since that’s par for the course. To be honest, these singles have been mastered and ready for release for a while now. It has been a challenge to overcome the fear of putting my music out there—an anxious concoction of self-doubt, perfectionism, and over-thinking that plagued me to take a step forward. To my surprise, the positive reception has given me a lot of confidence. Strangers messaging me how much they relate to my music has dispelled my apprehension and encouraged me to open myself up to the world a little more (but of course, not too much). I suppose never belonging anywhere and always feeling like an outsider has been engrained in my psyche. Little did I know, there were many others who felt just as alienated that identified with my experiences. Building on that momentum, the next step I’m most excited about is making the demos come to life and finally finishing the concept album I’ve been envisioning. I’ve found the process of making a record in the studio to be both highly stressful and exciting. It’s been enough time away, and I’m itching to go back. I have more stories I want to tell and new musical directions I want to explore. Though it may be enticing to jump into something novel, I think I owe it to myself to complete the project I’ve initially intended. Long story short, expect a debut album soon.
Comments