Coming to the end of a touring cycle can often be a relief for a band as it signals time off to relax after a busy schedule of show dates and late-night flights, however Bronze Radio Return are just getting started. Gearing up to the release of their fifth studio album at the top of next year and a number of singles and an EP to close out the year before heading out on tour again, PATTERN spoke to drummer Rob Griffith about how the bands influences have changed over the years and what to expect in their brand-new album.
Euan Makepeace: Both the band’s name and the music are inspired by the artists and songs you and your fellow bandmates grew up listening to. Reflecting on the past 10 years, do you feel that you have stuck to these roots, or has your creativity taken you down a different route that you first envisioned?
Rob Griffith: I think a little bit of both. The music that we grew up listening to, that influenced us early on is always there and is always a part of what we are doing. Maybe the way we utilize that is a little different as we move on, maybe we borrow different pieces from our influences but in the end, they are still there. You do find it does help to create a different path when you start combining those different influences in different ways. Ultimately, it can help steer you down a different path and help your music evolve that way.
EM: And are you actively seeking new sounds and experiences, or do you still draw from those same influences from when you first started out in music when it comes to writing new music today?
RG: We push ourselves to find new sounds and ideas when we are writing new music. It’s very important to maintain a level of freshness regardless of the genre you are working within. There are certain practices that can make something feel more modern than the way things have been done prior. That is something we try to do our best at, to push it as far as we can with discovering new sounds, in our writing and when composing new music.
EM: You have a new album on the way expected next year, slated to be released through a series of singles throughout the fall. What can we expect?
RG: This project sounds a little less “rootsy” than our previous works but at the same time it still has what we like to call a modern throwback feel, whereby we combine the older influences and the newer ones. There are some things about the new music that will feel familiar to people, but we’ve tried to push the types of sounds we are using a little bit further. We’ve also changed our methods in the studio a little bit coming into this album to give it a different edge. We were in Texas for a while and spent a month on a ranch outside of San Antonio where we recorded the whole thing.
EM: With there being five members of the band how does the recording process begin and what does it look like throughout?
RG: The writing process generally starts with Chris (Henderson). He spends a lot of time writing songs and getting things to the point where he can then bring them to the band for everyone to add their touch to it. The majority of the writing we end up doing comes when we are composing in the studio though. We have a great producer, Chad Copelin, who we’ve worked with on a few records now. He serves as a coach in the studio and pushes us to be more creative and to giving an enhanced performance. Having that push helps move that instant idea, bringing it into a fully formed song.
EM: When can we expect this rollout to being?
RG: The first single is due September 14, another October 12 and then the first EP will be October 26. Following that we will roll out new music that will culminate in a 12-song album that will see released at the top of next year.
EM: Following the release of the new album what does the rest of 2018 look like for BRR, or even the beginning of next year?
RG: We’re on the brink of announcing a lot of tour dates for next year, however the rest of this year will likely see us seeking out opportunities to have the music marketed or looking for press, and general behind the scenes tasks that are focused on getting the music ready. We don’t anticipate much touring for the rest of 2018.
Be sure to catch Bronze Radio Return @ HI-FI this First Friday, September 7th 2018, doors 7pm, show 8pm.
