Regarding the song selection process for the album, he said, “I had a number of songs that I wanted to do that have been around since I was 15 and 16. All the tracks except for ‘Is Your Love Strong Enough?’ were finished by the time I started to remix and reproduce a lot of the tracks. It was organic, so when I wanted a slower song or more artsy track I was able to pick and choose what I thought was the best. These songs all belong together and come from the same frame of mind.”
He listed “Strong Enough” as his favorite track on the album. “The new material that we are working out at the shows are along the lines of dance punk and the music that I listened to in High School. Bands like Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, the Bravery, Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem and Maximo Park,” he said.
His plans for the future include working, playing, promoting and touring as much as possible without going broke. “We have a few weekends without gigs so we are going to incorporate playback and some more indie covers. My other big plan is to break into New Jersey and Long Island while playing gigs in the city and home,” he said.
When asked what inspires his songwriting, he responded, “I’ve always kept in mind that if each part can be hummed or memorable it should be. I’m not afraid to borrow ideas and musical motifs that recall a certain era or vibe. Most of the songs are inspired real life, girls, frustration, boredom, my hang ups and uncorrected personality traits. Pop music hasn’t been too introspective or clever lately.”
He listed the late Amy Winehouse as his dream female duet choice, as well as St. Vincent. “She’s pretty out there, but writes some incredible pop songs. Her record with David Byrne was one of my favorites of 2013,” he said.
For aspiring musicians, Byrnes recommended they focus on making good music, as well as looking great and sounding great. “Everything else will fall into place,” he concluded.
