Sleeping Jesus has a new album out – Shotgun. It’s like a collection of short stories in song. I really enjoy listening and then I got an opportunity to hear a few of the songs live last weekend at the Front Row Paul Project Festival. It made me even more excited for their upcoming album release at the Parkway Theater on October 12.
Last time we spoke (via email questions) was two years ago. You had just released Ferdy. What’s been going on in your world since then?
It’s crazy that it’s been two years! We’ve done a fair amount of shows and some touring since we dropped the last album “Hollywood Smile”. We also went to work on the songs for our new album! And I (nick) also became a dad over the last year, which has been amazing!
Now you’re releasing your third album, Shotgun, which was self-produced. How was that experience?
It was a lot of fun digging in and getting our hands dirty with this one. We recorded at my space the Garden Shed, which is an old garage converted to a studio. I’ve mixed and produced singles and an EP in the past, but undertaking an entire album was a whole new beast. We also dig into a lot of different styles on the album, so it was a fun challenge trying to bring cohesion to the entire listen. It was really exciting to work at our own pace and release some singles as tracks were finished. I feel like we are even better equipped now to produce another record.
I hear some relationship-based melancholy in this album with songs like Far from LA and Caroline – well in quite a few songs. Do you hear any theme? Did you have themes in mind when you embarked on the album? Or does a theme give drive to create the album?
There are definitely relationship-based songs on the album. I love making stories within a song, oftentimes a melody or set of chords will make me feel or think about a certain thing, and I just let whatever that is guide me. When I was younger I think I tried to shape songs to be a very specific thing, but as I’ve written more tunes, I really try to let them go where they want to go. Many times my songs aren’t even directly about my life, but everyone and thing around me. Like a stew of my life set to music.
Once I wrote the song “Shotgun”, I knew that’d be the title of the album. I love the double meaning of it, too. This album spreads itself out genre wise, like the scatter of a shotgun. But I meant it as riding in the passenger side. Just along for the ride.
Love’s a Foolish Game mentions St Paul a few times, which immediately make me love the song. What’s funny is that as soon as the song started it felt like a travel or road song. Maybe it’s the gallop in the beat or some other undercurrent. Which comes first for you, the lyrics or the music?
I love a good local reference, and a double meaning as I mentioned before. The first instance in the song is the city, and the second is the saint himself. I guess it’s something about a train beat that lends itself to traveling music!
Often times I find myself writing the music first and the lyrics find their way in. Usually after mumble singing the melody for a few hours. But I’ve done a bit of writing from a lyrical sense. That can be fun too, because a series of words often have their own rhythm and melody that they gravitate for. It’s fun to let them do their thing and go along for the ride.
Please tell us about the upcoming release show. (And will we get to hear some sneak previews on September 7 at the Front Row Paul Project Festival?)
Yes! The record just came out and we are celebrating with We Are The Willows at Parkway Theater on October 12. It’s a matinee double release, as WATW are releasing an EP. We really wanted this to be a family friendly event. Me being a new dad, it’s been so fun to have our daughter at some of the shows and I can’t wait to do more of that!
Mostly Minnesota 