New Orleans alternative post-hardcore pop punk band Born Astray has released a blasting new single titled Dangerous. Born Astray consists of vocalist and frontman Cody Pala, Jesse Roger on guitar, Ryan Henriquez on bass, and Sean Doria behind drums. The single is accompanied by a power packed music video directed by Cody Pala as well. The song is from the band’s upcoming record Kinsey Six Genesis.
The song begins with a filter masking the main chord progression. The filter pulls out and the vocals seep in with a catchy verse rhythm. The pre-chorus comes in with some cool drumming catching the pace. And then it hits. That chorus! It has an enveloping and pleasing sound while sounding heavy at the same time. The main melody is catchy as hell, one that will keep you hooked. Born Astray show themselves as a force to be reckoned with. The album has themes about coming out by Cody and the lack of feelings of authenticity while growing up. This is the band’s first single release this year after two great song releases last year.
With mostly the bass, drums, and guitars with some harmonization the song sounds quite full despite not having a million production elements. Kudos to the mixing and overall production by Jonathan Dolese which makes it sound so swell. Whatever sustained harmony layering is applied makes the song sound quite stunning. Flowing at ease between various sections and maintaining an apt flow in the arrangement is to be noted. Born Astray is a band that displays all that is great with modern rock music with flair and tight songwriting.
We speak to the band about their latest release and more!
1. What is it like being a pop punk post-hardcore alternative band in New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz?
New Orleans is rooted in its creation of jazz, arguably the most whimsical and unpredictable art form. While we may be labeled as a pop-punk band, we try to bend that identifier and creatively break the rules of the genre. I think that alone is a product of being from New Orleans.
2. Arms sticking out of a golden paint doused bath tub. What is the idea behind the artwork?
“Dangerous” is a part of a larger collection of songs titled Kinsey Six Genesis. Thematically, there’s a larger story to be told. We’ll cross that bridge as more songs are released off the album.
3. The vocals sound stunning. What are your influences as an individual performers and general influences as a band?
Thank you! Most of my influence stems from outside of the genre. I’ve always admired the delivery Ben Gibbard from Death Cab has, but also really appreciate the styles of Interpol, Yung Lean, and Citizen. General influences from the band instrumentally comes from bands within the genre that emerged in the late 90’s and early 2000’s (Fall Out Boy, Blink182, etc), but also recent successes such as The 1975 and Taylor Swift.
4. How do you approach balancing light and shade, heavy and pop in your music?
We approach each song from a different angle when we’re writing in the studio; we don’t want to fit a certain archetype and become predictable. But we do love a good build-up and try and always have a goal in sight for the biggest part of the song. In terms of balancing heavy and pop, as a writer I try and emphasize the heavier topics with a soft approach in an effort to juxtapose the music with the message.
5. When are we to expect the album to release? What are your plans for live performances?
Spring 2023 is the goal for the album release. And within the next two months for our first live performance. Definitely subscribe and keep an eye out for those announcements. We’re updating our pages on the daily.
6. Could you elaborate on the lyrical theme of the song?
“Dangerous” addresses the quintessential moment in a relationship when one starts to question if there’s any real connection left or if they’re staying together out of fear of being alone. It forces the listener to consider the straws they grasp at as a result of avoiding desolation. Written through narrative banter, the single provides an anthem for those who are ready to end things for the sake of finding themselves.
7. What was the compositional and recording process for the song like?
The song itself was written by our guitarist Jesse in his home studio, and he sent over the instrumental demo over to Cody so that he could write lyrics and track vocals at his house. A few weeks later we recorded with Jonathan Dolese at Konkrete Studios and finished the production work there, which is always a wonderful experience. We already tracked a few songs with him and the past and the rest of the album was subsequently produced by him as well. We have an exceptional personal and professional relationship with him as a producer which always helps the songwriting process.
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Discovered via http://musosoup.com
