The Currents | Interview | New EP, ‘Other Lives’
The Currents, originating from Toledo, Ohio, USA, formed in 2019 and draw inspiration from a blend of British, American, and Mexican alternative/indie rock.
Comprising members Luis Gomez, Tanner Wertz, Emilio Alvarado, and recording partner Matt Cashin, the band is dedicated to creating fresh music for all generations while paying homage to those who paved the way.
The Currents’ new EP, ‘Other Lives’ was a labor of love recorded at Alvarado’s home studio. Despite personal commitments, time, and tribulations of being a human trying to live in 2023, the band poured their hearts into the project, resulting in a diverse yet cohesive sound. And you can hear the care that’s been put into these five tracks. Between the serious musicianship and delicate, purposeful songwriting this is a band operating at their peak.
Opening with a swelling instrumental ‘Turning Red’ intro builds and blends seamlessly into ‘Turning Red’ channeling early 2000s British rock vibes in the vein of Bloc Party or Franz Ferdinand. This track is a telling beginning to the EP–taking the song in surprising directions with inventive rhythmic and chordal changes that send the listener spinning (much like the character in the song a confused and anxious bargoer). It’s catchy as hell, but in no way simple as it set up the desire for deep connection as a main theme in Other Lives.
‘It’s Alright’ seems to take things in a more traditionally poppy direction. A guitar driven song reminiscent of Strokes at their poppiest. But surprising as always this song takes a turn to a reggae bridge showcasing ripping guitar and a totally locked in rhythm section. It’s way more than alright.
The title track, ‘Other Lives’ is an epic infusion of Latin influences, reflecting Luis and Emilio’s Mexican-American heritage. It’s a sweeping surf rock, Dick Dale in Dune romp. The guitars get some space to stretch out here spicy noodling their way around tasteful solos.
Meanwhile, the band’s namesake song, ‘Currents (Where Did You Go?)’ finishes off the EP delving into the alternative-pop scene prominent in the US. The lyrics are a heartfelt plea for connection: /Begging for you to reach me. If you don’t, the currents will consume us all. Where did you go?/. A dreamy guitar solo leads to a killer crescendo as Alvarado’s drums drive the track towards the end of Other Lives.
Throughout their ‘Other Lives’ EP, The Currents touch on topics ranging from hookup culture to struggles with mental health, weaving a narrative that’s both relatable and engaging. Having performed extensively in Toledo, as well as in cities like Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Indianapolis, including an opening slot for Wheatus, the band is planning on expanding their reach to cities like Cleveland, Columbus, and Chicago. Connecting with people through their music–not just on the surface but resonating in a deep and profound way was the goal in crafting this cohesive EP.
“Spontaneous ideas made it onto the record.”
What about ‘Other Lives’ led this to become the title track?
Honestly, it was just the name of the track that led it to become the title track. After all the songs were written, we were trying to come up with the name for the EP. It was quickly and unanimously decided that ‘Other Lives’ fit the best. The reasoning being that every song on this EP is about observations/experiences of other people (friends and strangers). The actual track is written about an experience with a narcissist, who is likened to a vampire, but deep in the lyrics are the words “other lives.” It was the perfect two words to describe the theme of the entire release.
Speaking of title tracks–what’s the connection between your band name and the song ‘Currents (Where Did You Go)?’
To begin, this song in particular is the most emotionally-packed as it deals with the subject of depression. The protagonist of the song is suffering from it and feels as though they are drowning. They long for who they were before and as they talk to themself, they find hope and begin to find a way to recover; this is evident by the lyrics in the second verse. As the song progresses, the instrumental exhibits the feeling of hope and optimism. The connection between the band and the song is that we are all advocates for mental health. Especially as an all-male band, we know how difficult it is for other men to seek help and guidance in times where they feel alone. We hope that any person who listens to this track finds inspiration to get help or even help someone they know going through a difficult time.
What are some of your overt musical influences and who (or what) are some of your hidden (or secret) influences?
Bands like The Cure, Oasis, The Smiths are definitely some overt influences. However, we make it a goal not to sound like them. We know the fine line of being influenced by someone and ripping them off, so being able to take bits and pieces from every band we listen to and then crafting it into our own sound is what we pride ourselves on. Some of the more hidden influences vary from member to member from either our past or present-day music tastes: Luis (British alternative/indie), Tanner (metal, classic rock), Matt (post-punk, shoegaze) and Emilio (pop-punk, alternative). As far as secret influences…we can’t share those as they wouldn’t be secret anymore haha! Maybe you can make them out as you listen through the EP.
What was the home studio recording process like? Do you lean towards spontaneity, improvisation, and live tracking. Or, with the time available when self recording do you lean into getting that perfect take?
The best part about recording ourselves is we weren’t limited to time or money. We spent a lot of time writing in the studio and wanted to be sure we got the perfect take, in our eyes, for everything. With that being said, there were a handful of occasions where spontaneous ideas made it onto the record. For instance on the track ‘It’s Alright,’ we thought having a set of bongos playing in the bridge would be perfect but we didn’t have them at our disposal. Tanner brought up the idea of using the stainless steel trash can in the studio in their place and after EQ-ing the take, it sounded like bongos! At the end of the day, if the part works then it doesn’t matter where it originated from.
The Currents Facebook / Instagram / YouTube
