Goldfinch On the Making Of “Calabasas”
What was the creative process like for this particular "Calabasas?"
So“Calabasas” actually has a funny story behind it. I was picking up my son from school one day, and he popped in the car with a random fact about the city Calabasas. It was so out of left field that it made me laugh. Because of my reaction, he continued giving me a fact every single day for weeks. The more time went by, the more outlandish the fact. After about 2-3 weeks of this, Calabasas was pretty much drilled into my head! I was driving to work and the entire chorus popped up, fully formed.
Were there any challenges or breakthrough moments during the songwriting process for "Calabasas?"
There were a couple. At the time of writing “Calabasas,” the album was done. I had one session left for minor overdubs and vocals. I had filed the chorus away, thinking it would be revisited for our second album. The day before my session, I got COVID. Stuck at home feverish, to keep my mind busy, I sat down and wrote the rest of the song. I sent the demo to our producer and the rest of the band, and they all agreed we needed to reconvene everyone to record it once I was back up and running. So, a couple of speedbumps, but a blessing in disguise! Now, it's our debut single!
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for "Calabasas?"
My favorite moment was probably recording with my son, Ben. Since he was the impetus for creating the song in the first place, we wanted to include him in some way. So he actually recorded some vocal effects in the mix of the chorus. It was a blast getting him to record with us, and was a moment I'll treasure forever!
Could you share some of your musical influences and how they have shaped your sound?
The big one is the Beatles. Growing up with them taught me the importance of melody and harmonization. That has probably informed our sound more than anything. And then bands like Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, and Muse have influenced the use of chromatics, electronic loops, and musical flamboyancy, respectively.
Are there any specific themes or messages that you aim to convey through your music?
Well the album itself began as almost a journal for myself. I was dealing with some personal trauma, and had kind of withdrawn from everyone. I was writing to survive. I showed the first couple of songs to Carlos, our guitarist, and he convinced me that the songs were meaningful, and deserved to be shared. It was difficult, because sharing them makes me feel a bit naked, but if they can help even one other person dealing with trauma or mental health issues, then we've done our job!