Regarding the title cut of their new album, Reuben said, “‘Arms of a Dream’ was an old poem I wrote. The words have been following me around for a long time. When putting together all the songs for this record, that title just wouldn’t leave my mind. ‘I have fallen fast asleep, under winter’s spell, in the arms of a dream.’ This album is about the space between waking and sleeping states. Dreams and reality. It just fell into place.”
The singer-songwriter shared that he draws inspiration from a variety of things. “Darkness tends to move the needle though. I find myself writing a lot about loss. Pain. Grief. Finding ways of turning those emotions into something that feels like release. I try and use music as a way of shining some light into the dark corners of life,” he explained.
On their future plans, he said, “Writing, travelling and growing as a human and songwriter. I would love to tour more of the world in the next couple of years.”
He acknowledged that their new album took a long time to write. “It is a collection of songs written over the last four years. Each one is a capsule of time. I’m so proud of it and excited for the world to hear it,” he said.
Digital transformation of music business
On the impact of technology on the music business, he said, “That is hard thing to pin down. Technology is constantly changing everything. Its hard to say what it is doing to music right now. It has changed the way people listen to music, that’s for sure. I don’t know if I agree that it is as damaging as everyone seems to think though. As technology changes, so do people. It has opened a lot of doors and has made it way easier to access more obscure music. I think as a listener, I really appreciate the easy access to new songs and bands. As an artist it is pushing me harder to do things that feel timeless and permanent. In a time where everything just seems to fly by and disappear after its moment in the spotlight, quality stands out more then ever.”
Regarding his use of technology in his music routine, he said, “I use music streaming services when I am not at home with my record collection. Everyday there seems to be a new app geared towards musicians and songwriters. I play around with some of them but mostly I am old fashioned. There will never be an app that can beat a cup of coffee, an acoustic guitar and a moleskin.”
He listed Conner Oberst, the front-man of the band Bright Eyes, as his dream collaboration. “He had a big influence on my songwriting. I would love to sing a song with him one day. I’ve never really dreamed of collaborations. My dream would just be to curate a festival where we could play with all my favorite bands. I think that will happen one of these days,” he said.
Arms of a Dream is available for pre-order on iTunes.
