Feature: Future Mondays Decodes ‘Future Mondays’
What was the creative process like for this particular EP?
Jacob (lead guitarist): "Angel of Light" and "Spent Burnt" were tracks that predated Future Mondays that helped us gel as a group in early rehearsals. Sean [rhythm guitar and lead vocals] and Alex [keyboard and lead vocals] came to the band with those tracks. "Play The Fool" was a group effort that developed in jams and practices for months before we went into the studio. Alex started with the opening line "Downtown by old City Hall...." and the "Play The Fool" in the chorus and we largely worked it out together from there. Sean brought the rhythm guitar part that drives the whole thing, and Tom [bassist and backing vocals] added a lot of structure. Gian [drums] brought the energy. The guitar solo on the recording is nearly identical to the one that I improvised in the early jams because it felt like it fit right away.
Alex (vocals/keys): Recording to analog tape meant we didn’t have the leeway of “oh lemme just shift that note”. I had some reluctance and asked Craig Dreyer (who recorded us at Mighty Toad Recording Studios) when we walked in if we could do all digital. He said “Are you crazy?!” Wasn’t much of an argument. Glad he won that one. Sean brought “Angel of Light” almost entirely arranged. “Spent/Burnt” was something where I had the riff for a decade without lyrics, then knocked them out in 30 minutes during a writing surge. “Play the Fool” was almost entirely written in our rehearsal studio – something we’ve become more accustomed to on recent songs.
Were there any moments in the recording process where you knew you had something special?
Jacob: Hearing the first playback of "Angel of Light" in the sound booth at the studio really made it feel like we had something to be proud of. It showcases a lot of the individual talents of the guys in the band, but it's cohesive.
Alex: Two things stood out - a friend who’s engineered some great records told us “Play the Fool” was our single. We almost tabled it to just focus on “Angel of Light” and “Spent / Burnt”. A happy accident that we recorded it at all. The second was when Craig fired up the Leslie speaker and Hammond organ for “Angel of Light”. It wasn’t my first time playing an organ, but a definite “we’re playing in a different league” moment. I get chills just thinking about how fun that was to play.
Which song(s) from the EP do you think best represents your artistic vision?
Jacob: The EP is a perfect sampling of who we are as a group. "Angel of Light" is Sean at his most intense and heavy. "Spent Burnt" is Alex at his most earworm-y and shows off the ambient side of our sound. "Play the Fool" is the first song we finished as a group, and it really incorporates our full bag of tricks - dual lead vocals, rhythm changes, driving guitar parts, and rock-solid grooves.
Alex: Haha, that’s like choosing a favorite kid, right? I love all 3. They’re distinct voices and hopefully show we’re trying to go different routes each time out. I can’t speak for Sean but I think “Angel of Light” sounds on record about as close to how it sounds in my head. It has such a classic vibe to it.
Can you tell us more about you as a band?
Alex: Sean and I met via friends in our early NYC days. Tom and Sean worked together, and Gian and Tom had played in a previous band. Jacob and I met randomly in a West Village bar. My brother Nick and I decided to grab a late drink after a Yankee game, strolled into Barrow Street Ale House and started chatting with this couple from Louisville. Nick peeled off to start chatting with a new friend by the jukebox, while Jacob, his wife Ann, and I talked music and New York for a good spell. Everyone’s journey to the city is always fun fodder. Might have to turn that into a song.
Jacob: I feel like we've grown a lot as friends and bandmates in a short period of time. I was the last to join Future Mondays, but the others welcomed me in and made me feel comfortable quickly. I think a lot of our musical chemistry comes from how we interact as friends. We play off one another musically so well because we have the same dynamic when we're goofing around at the bar after practice.
How do you engage with your audience during your live performances to create a memorable experience for them?
Jacob: For a bunch of musicians, we are really into the details. We talk a lot about how our live shows are structured and how that creates a listening experience for the audience. For us, Future Mondays is all about bringing our full energy to the live shows and making sure our fans can see how much we care and how much we love the music.
Alex: I don’t like routine and think we’re aiming for each show the way we like to see other bands – no repeats. Each show has new songs or arrangements. I’d love to see us get to the point where a song gets sung back by the entire crowd. We’re not there yet - give it time and hopefully we’ll achieve that.
