First off, where are you all from? How’d you get started as a band?
We’re both originally from Vermont. We grew up in a small town outside of Burlington and have been lifelong friends. We started making music together at the end of college, mostly recording a solo project of mine, but we didn’t seriously start working together on Best Boys until a couple of years ago. It felt like a natural progression though, having played together for years, the musical shorthand was already well established. – Joe
Who would you say are some of your biggest influences?
Though we now share many influences, we’re able to pull from a wide range of inspiration. I grew up playing classical music and Aaron played jazz. Aaron’s taste and sensibilities bring a playfulness and lightness which helps balance my occasional self seriousness. Specifically, the influences for the EP span from D’Angelo, to Hank Williams, to Radiohead. – Joe
How would you describe your sound, it has this almost nostalgic feel to it that’s comforting.
For this project we kept things simple. We tried to write concisely, almost in the tradition of classic country or punk songs. Get to the point and stick to it. Sonically, we went with a minimal and familiar palette. Guitar, bass, keys, drums, and maybe a little synth here or there. In my mind, mainly working in the vein of rock music. – Joe
Being on opposite coasts, what’s you creative process like? Have you had to learn anything new or change things up through this?
Though we do now live on opposite coasts, the majority of the writing and production is done together in the same room. We’ve been fortunate enough to find blocks of time to work in person, and it’s definitely our preferred mode of collaboration. The time in which we’re apart is also productive, the progress is just less immediate. There’s more back and forth. I think the bottom line has been just staying on the same page and having good communication. – Joe
Congrats on the new EP ‘Ride Out’! It really has an incredible vibe throughout. Has there been any surprises from the responses you’re getting to it?
This being the first project we’ve put out together, every reaction feels like a bit of a surprise. The most gratifying feedback from my perspective is hearing people bring up individual songs they like and there being some variety in the responses. We tried to cover a lot of ground in six songs, and it seems like people are appreciating that. – Joe
What do you want people to take from it and your music in general?
We’d like people to get a taste of what Best Boys are all about — writing catchy tunes over distinct, creative production. These songs capture and blend a range of emotions that speak to the human yearning for belonging, whether it be romantic or geographic. We hope that people see themselves in these songs and feel a sense of connection. – Aaron
Is there a consensus favorite from the EP? Absolutely love the breakdown at the end of Uncle “Bobo.”
Thanks! We had a blast adding a sort of “left field” ending to “Uncle Bobo” — a chaotic cap on what’s an otherwise pretty jazzy love song. Our consensus favorite is probably “Soft” or “Apartment,” which are both very quintessential Best Boys ballads. They both materialized quickly in terms of writing and production and have especially catchy refrains. – Aaron
What other current artists/bands do you think are out there doing interesting things?
We both love what Dijon’s been doing for the past five years. His music has been inspirational in terms of letting things be dense and chaotic while also having a very clear emotional compass. British artist M.T. Hadley has also been a favorite of ours — great writing, nuanced production, and a unique voice. We’ve also been stuck on the new Flock of Dimes song “Long After Midnight” — it’s an incredible tune, poignant and super catchy, and we’re excited for her forthcoming album “The Life You Save.” – Aaron
We say you have to be fearless to be a creative and put yourself out there, do you agree?
Absolutely. It’s a delicate balance between confidence, sensitivity, and learning to let go of the preciousness that can build up during the creative process. It takes a healthy degree of delusion to put yourself out there at this particular point in time, but trusting that people have an appetite for honest, well-made music helps cut through the self-doubt. – Aaron
What’s next for you guys?
We’re organizing some live shows to help get these songs further out into the world, and have another body of work that we’re polishing up and preparing for release in the not too distant future. At the moment, we’re pleased that people are resonating with Ride Out, and we’re excited to present more Best Boys music soon! – Aaron
