SURESON On the Making Of “Can't Complain”
What was the creative process like for this particular song?
Overall it was a natural process from the song’s inception - the strum of the first chord and into the chord progression - it was one of those songs where the words and ideas sort of fell into place as it was happening. When I feel like I’m instantly onto something creatively, I’ve learned how rare those opportunities come so I had to tap into it right away, and that was no different for “Can’t Complain.”
How did you work with the producer or engineers to bring your vision for "Can't Complain" to life?
I’m very fortunate to have a backing band that is so talented in their own right, so I remember feeling confident in showing them the song in a rehearsal setting. It was sort of like “hey I got this Byrds-y number here, do you guys want to give it a shot?” I knew the parts were simple enough for the guys to catch on, and they knocked it out of the park. It was all smiles the first time we tried playing it together so I knew it was good. It was a song we began to play live as a band several times before it ever saw the studio. Those tend to go pretty well because we already got the vibes right for tracking. Rob Kroehler has been a band member and acting as a studio engineer/producer. Once we mapped out all the sections with the band, we brought everyone into Rob’s studio to eventually bring the entire song to life. We drew inspiration from all the classics like The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, and some more contemporary music as well like The La’s and Young Guv.
How do you feel "Can't Complain" represents your artistic identity?
It’ll definitely represent a sliver of what I do. There’s no denying I’ve been on a quest to find the best Power Pop music that I can because I love the genre so much. To me, it’s an undefinable genre though, and because of that no one seems to be gatekeeping it either - at least that’s what I hope not to be the case. Regardless, “Can’t Complain” is a power pop song but not to the point of making it my whole identity. The record I’m sitting on plays more like a mixtape that pivots with each artistic mood swing, sometimes on a daily basis. There’s something for everyone on it hopefully! Overall, I’m into transformation and “seeking” rather than pigeonholing myself artistically because I want to allow myself a way back out if I feel like it.
Can you tell us more about you as an artist?
I front multiple projects and have done so for several years now - It wasn’t something I ever intended when I decided to write music, but it goes along with my passion for seeking, transforming, and never settling into a homogeneous role. To put it more succinctly, I constantly write music that I’m inspired by and that could go on forever, which calls for putting myself in positions to execute the various styles that I come up with. Luckily I’ve been able to find the best and sweetest of people who understand me, and want to match my freak!
How do you continuously grow and evolve as an artist?
I certainly pay attention to my musical contemporaries - never in a competitive way, but I love discovering artists who can just floor me with their art. I like when bands really kick me in the teeth. I also feel like I’m a late bloomer. I got started playing guitar in my early 20s, so it feels like this constant catching up to do, and learning new things about myself, and my instrument. I’ve tried to use a “childlike wonder” to my advantage and my approach to art. There’s nothing more inspiring than learning something for the first time, and I feel like there’s still so much to have. I hold trust in that the best is always yet to come.
