Brother Starling Finds Comfort Within Uncharted Territory Following Debut Release
Brother Starling, photo courtesy of the artist
Brother Starling, a Philadelphia-based Americana rock band, are no stranger to change. Their debut album, aptly named The Weight of Change, was released in early 2020, just before the world took a dramatic shift. As is the case with most bands, Brother Starling has seamlessly transitioned from a firmly live band to an uncharted online-only presence. One thing that is definite with this four-piece is their respect for artistry, emotion, and each other. With time to sit on this release, Brother Starling revisits what they feel are the strengths, successes, and changes that both they and the album have undergone since its debut and the rise of the pandemic.
Despite the heaviness of the title and the "weighty" (for lack of a better word) context that a lot of these songs are based off, how did you find a balance between writing a personally cathartic album and one that would resonate with all listeners as we struggle with quarantine/politics/etc.?
Geremiah Giampa (vocals, guitar): I think that even though some of the lyrical content is personal to me, the subject matter is universal. As we get older, we all experienced in some capacity the feelings of love, loss, or even nostalgia for a life when it might have been a little easier and fun. There are also songs on the album like Madmen and Are We Together that focus on social issues, politics, and the misinformation age we live in today.
Tom Mellon (drums): Music always translates well with emotion and energy. These songs definitely embody both of these things. I think the energy of the band always keeps a nice balance from the songs getting too heavy. There’s always this sense of positivity or hope within the songs.
Mike Rusch (guitar): I think the sound of this album is very important. Our producer, Derek Chaffin was able to help us capture a vibe in addition to just the material. This all happened before coronavirus hit so I think the sound of the record helps pull people into the experience of the music itself.
Joe Ryan (guitar, keys): Our producer, Derek Chafin has been able to give us excellent direction in translating the lyrics and mood of the song into something that can be accessible to a broader audience which has helped lighten the gravity of some of the tougher subjects we’ve covered.
Brian Fin (bass): It's a fine line between being your authentic self and yet remaining accessible to a larger audience. I think we did a good job of both on this album. I don’t think there’s anything on there that isn’t a genuine feeling or lyric that we all believe in.
Were there any specific lyrics or songs as a whole that you feel like you've been trying to write for a while, but only feel like now you've finally nailed down the perfect way to put them into words? How did it feel to finally accomplish that?
Geremiah: There are several songs on the album that lyrically I could never finish (for years). It turned out that I just needed more experience living in order to understand how to properly convey what I needed to say. It was therapeutic to finally put them to rest.
Tom: “Far Away From Lonely” has a personal connection for me and to have it come to fruition, after trying a couple versions, was very rewarding. We really took our time with it. Also, “All Those Nights” is a song I always gravitate towards because we can all relate to the longing of friends that are miles away and wondering what they are up to or if we made an impact on their present lives.
Mike: “Far Away From Lonely” is a good example of a song that took some time to develop. It’s about how friendships can change in an instance. Our goal was to make someone feel as if they were going through that situation and we did a good job capturing that emoting on the recording.
Joe: The song “Cobbled” really has a driving force behind that only came together in the studio. It was a song that had a strong intention when Geremiah wrote it and a pretty specific meaning and I feel Derek did a great job directing us in a way that we could really embrace the drive of it and others could interpret that as we played it.
Brian: I was so thrilled to see “Twenty Years” come together the way it did. That song has existed in several forms for the last few years, and we finally got to the heart of it on this record.
What were you listening to while you put this album together?
Geremiah: I was listening to a lot of rock and roll and country from the 1950’s. I think The Air is the only one on the album that was directly influenced by that.
Tom: Led Zeppelin, The Band, Nada Surf.
Mike: Dawes, Alabama Shakes, Wilco, and The Rolling Stones.
Joe: We all bring our own influences to the band but I think one thing we have in common is our appreciation for the Laurel Canyon sound. We’ve been able to pull more modern Americana influences and blend them with a very organic rootsy sound.
Brian: That’s a weird question for me because I don’t listen to any bands that sound all that much like we do. I tend to enjoy more “abrasive” music for lack of a better term. But being a bassist, what I listen to really doesn’t matter all that much. I usually start out with a simple part based on what everybody else does and then get more melodic or adventurous as we develop the song.
Are there any specific personal memories that you know will stay with you when you reflect on your time building this album? Something that listeners won't necessarily know about just from the sound?
Geremiah: The recording of “Madmen” will stick with me because it came together so quickly. All of the other songs went through a lengthy pre-production process to make sure we had all of our parts pretty fleshed out before hitting record. We finished recording all of the basic tracks and were wrapping up for the day. We were in the control room and I mentioned a very bare bones idea I had on my phone. We all listened, I showed everyone the changes and we jammed on it all the way through twice. Little did we know, the record button was on the whole time and that is what made it to the album.
Tom: The five of us and our producer all trusted that we would make a sonic album with layers that would come together very organically or it wouldn’t happen at all. There was never a doubt in any of the sessions. Over a year’s time with positivity and encouragement running through the band, we created the record that we sought to make. Trust and faith within each other was the cornerstone of this record and fondest memory.
Mike: Yes, Brother Starling was born during this process. The band evolved, matured, and it became what it is today.
Joe: We prepared quite a bit prior to recording these songs but when we got to the studio we were really able to see how receptive we were to each other’s opinion. We followed each other’s lead and accepted the input from Derek as part of the band and it made for a very locked in recording process.
Brian: As Geremiah said, “Madmen” was certainly a cool bit of “magic” that just happens here and there. Although not specific, my favorite random memories are when one of the guys does something in the song that makes me adjust what I’m doing to accent or counterpoint it. No one usually notices until much later that it makes a difference. I love that stuff.
Is there a message that you hope listeners take away from these songs, or do you feel like they're more open-ended?
Geremiah: The overall message to me is hope. I think of it like that Churchill quote “If You're Going Through Hell, Keep Going.” Life may not necessarily get easier, but it definitely will get better if you don’t give up hope.
Tom: Being persistent, maintaining hope and moving forward through insurmountable times is the message I always feel with these songs. It’s uncanny how this applies today.
Mike: What I like most about Geremiah’s lyrics is that they can be interpreted differently by everyone. “Are We Together” for example - are we all together? for what cause? Whatever inspires you, that’s all that matters.
Joe: I like to think we stress the importance of being aware of your surroundings and of others. We do that personally with each other and Geremiah’s lyrics discuss relationships and how fragile they may be. The message I take from this is to be mindful of how actions and views impact others and society as a whole.
Brian: Some of it hits you on the nose (“You and Me”, “The Air” and “Madmen” come to mind), and some of it is certainly open to interpretation. It’s a good mix of both I think.
If this album had a tagline like a film, what do you think it would be?
Geremiah: The Weight of Change: You win. You lose.
Tom: The Weight of Change: It’s Just Beginning.
Mike: “The Weight of Change: To Come…” Our album release show was on January 31st, weeks before the world changed.
Joe: We released this prior to everything shutting down, but The Weight of Change hits close to home as we are in a constantly changing world. We need to be strong, think of others, work on relationships and be true to ourselves now more than ever.
Brian: The Weight of Change: Adapt or Be Crushed.
What do you think makes this album stand out among the flood of other quarantine releases?
Geremiah: I think people deep down at their core want to hear songs that resonate and give them the feels. The Weight of Change is 100% grass-fed-organic-pastured-raised feels.
Tom: There are hooks and emotions that sit with you when you’re done listening and from top to bottom, it’s a fast listen which begs for a repeat listen. A glass of scotch and headphones compliment it well too.
Mike: It’s solid from top to bottom, it’s not single heavy, and it takes you on a journey. It’s a perfect album to have on vinyl.
Joe: We have different moods and themes but they all seem to make a solid cohesive album. It’s not a collection of individual ideas. It’s a complete project of how a band came into its own.
Brian: It’s definitely an album in a world of singles. The merits of that can be debated, but I’m so glad we did it. It’s important to make a “statement” right out of the gate as our first release, and I think we accomplished that. I’ve never been a fan of a record being a collection of singles. It should have a consistent feel and set a mood, or else just release singles, right?
Has quarantine affected your creative processes at all? Has it burnt you out, or do you feel more inspired to write?
Geremiah: I think it has actually helped and hurt the process. Life is a lot more relaxed in quarantine, so it helps the creative juices flow a little easier. On the flip side, we can’t really get together in person to work on ideas, so it stifles the actual motivation to write. On the flip flip side, we went back into the studio (in a socially distanced manner) and recorded four new songs.
Tom: I think it has helped. We had our wings clipped a bit once this pandemic hit and we were unable to promote the record or be in the same room together. But we pushed through and safely recorded new ideas that we’re excited about and will be released at a later point.
Mike: I’ve been more inspired. Just playing the guitar inspires me and I’ve had plenty of time to do just that.
Joe: It’s difficult not to have a regular practice which is where we spontaneously create a lot of new ideas. But we have been able to direct our energy towards recording which we’ve capitalized on.
Brian: It’s tough. I’m not very good at creating alone. I’ve always been a collaborator and generally need the energy of others to create.
Which song - either lyrically or within the music - are you the most proud of and excited to play live?
Geremiah: I really liked the way our song “Twenty Years” turned out. It’s a little challenging to play because we really have to be aware of the subtleties (musically and vocally) that lead us to the crescendo at the end. Unfortunately, we only had the opportunity to play it once in front of an audience before the world changed.
Tom: For me, it’s “Stronger”. It always seems to bring on a lot of great energy in the band that is almost palatable.
Mike: I’m most proud of “All Those Nights” as that song had a few variations but I’m glad we recorded it in the way we did. It’s fun to play live and I used an old Roland Space Echo on the solo which sounded awesome in the studio and we were able to capture it on tape.
Joe: I love “Stronger.” It has a very welcoming theme and a simple yet poignant message. There are a lot of times we’re it helps to stop and focus on a moment of strength from individuals where you may not expect it and others where it’s a common theme.
Brian: “Madmen” is the most fun for me to play live. It’s dark lyrically (and totally not sexy), but the beat and riff just ooze sex to me. When I play it I feel like it’s the 70’s Bass Revolution before some guy’s left hand on a synth took my job in pop music in the 80s.
How has promoting a release without playing shows been?
Geremiah: It has been tough because we are definitely a live band and that has been the key to us getting new fans. Right now, we are one of many trying to get everyone’s attention online or in print, so it’s difficult to cut through. Luckily, we have been very fortunate to receive positive press on the album and my hope is that will attract some new listeners.
Tom: It’s definitely challenging dealing with a feeling of restraint because we cannot do what we love most, which is playing live. However, we have gotten some stellar reviews and had some people covering our songs on Instagram, which was very flattering.
Mike: It’s been tough, we are a solid live band and I’m looking forward to performing a lot of these new songs in front of an audience sometime sooner than later.
Joe: It’s totally uncharted territory. We’re performers. We get energy from an audience and without that it’s difficult to have the drive to promote. We really are proud of our album and it’s extremely difficult to communicate that without performing.
Brian: It’s tough but it’s important to remember that this is not the old music business. Records can take years for people to discover and there’s really no urgency. When it’s good, it will find an audience at the right time. We’re not going anywhere. We’re “lifers.”