Premiere: Patzy Debuts New Single, “Doin’ Alright”
Learn Our Q&A With the Band Under
Apr 02, 2021
Nashville indie rock band Patzy had a protracted highway to their 2018 debut full-length document Opus Uno. The songwriting duo on the core of the band, Memphis native Logan Todd and Ohioan Patrick Sewalk, met in faculty in 2012 and ran via varied permutations and kinds on the highway, together with opening for COIN, Deerhunter, and Liza Anne, earlier than forming formally into Patzy. The band have now returned with their first in a collection of deliberate singles in 2021, “Doin’ Alright,” premiering with Underneath the Radar.
“Doin’ Alright,” in true easygoing type strips again Patzy’s sound into the barest necessities, feather-soft melodies from Sewalk operating over relaxed percussion and luxurious manufacturing from Todd. The monitor has an ideal Sunday morning power, an air of mild acceptance. Amidst all of it, Sewalk offers a heartwarming lyrical exploration of overcoming doubt and hope for the long run. The verses, whereas breezy, include insular reflections on anxiousness, doubt, and uncertainty, all of the whereas constructing bigger into an effortlessly catchy hook on the refrain. The attractive melodies wash over the listener, assuaging all the verses’ fears with Sewalk’s easy declaration that he’s doin’ alright.
Sewalk says of the track, “It’s really easy for me to get caught up within the small issues I encounter day by day, and even the larger ones pervading all through my life. Loads of the time they take me captive – my doubts, my paranoia, my anxiousness in regards to the uncertainty of the long run. I don’t need to get up in the future years from now and suppose, ‘the place did my life go? I’ve spent the entire time worrying as an alternative of having fun with the most effective components of it.’ This track is a reminder to me that day by day isn’t the top of the world and that within the larger image I’m doing okay. It’s additionally a enjoyable distinction between the verses and the choruses – the stress continues to construct till the massive ‘BUT I’m doin alright.’ That lazy guitar riff within the refrain seems like a giant weight is being lifted off my chest. Nobody actually talks about this stuff, however I do know everybody offers with them and it feels good to present voice to it.”
Take a look at the track under and browse our unique Q&A with the band the place we catch up over e mail to speak in regards to the track, the band, and the way they’ve been spending quarantine.
Underneath the Radar: You each met in 2012 however your first full-length didn’t come out till 2018. What was the trail prefer to forming Patzy and recording that first album?
Patrick Sewalk: Yup, Logan and I met once we first began faculty in 2012. We lived on the identical flooring of our dorm, and on the day after move-in I used to be strolling by his room and seen a Fleet Foxes poster hanging on his wall. I did a double-take and we began speaking about music. It grew to become very clear proper then that we’d workforce up.
A short while after that we shaped our faculty band, Ivory Coast, which wanting again at this level I’d name ‘experimental folk-rock.’ The band broke up on the finish of school when a few of our band members ended up transferring, however on reflection this was an amazing factor as a result of it compelled me to confront a few of my private points which had hindered the band, largely involving my confidence with creativity.
At the moment I used to be out of school with no band, no job, and a few tough choices to make. Logan was my roommate at the moment, and I approached him to see if he wished to document an album from the songs I had written since Ivory Coast’s break-up. It grew to become a query of, is that this one thing that we’re able to? Do we have now the perseverance and dedication to write down and document a full-length album, begin to end, and get previous all of our private and artistic hang-ups? It was actually scary on the time, however I lastly realized that I couldn’t image myself residing a life the place I didn’t make music. Opus Uno was largely only for the sake of proving one thing to ourselves. I like the songs, however to me, it represents a primary baby-step in a life-long journey of making music.
How has the band been taking the pandemic? Have you ever been recording?
I all the time really feel unusual admitting this given the scope of the struggling and loss brought on by COVID, however the fact is that I used to be thriving through the first components of the pandemic. I already most well-liked to spend my free time in my studio in any case, alone and in restricted contact with others, and now I had an excuse to not do a lot else! The FOMO that I had had up to now had disappeared – I didn’t have to fret about what my mates have been doing (as a result of the reply was nothing) and I might simply spend my hours doing what I’d relatively do, making music. This was firstly, however sadly, the remaining has undoubtedly had its ‘down’ moments. Even at this level there undoubtedly are days when the long run seems to be fairly bleak for any individual attempting to pursue a life in music. However the up-side is that we have been in a position to document and end the 4 songs we plan on releasing in 2021! This will have occurred anyway, however we’ve had ample time to actually focus and enhance our expertise within the studio. We’re rising higher and extra decided musicians, songwriters, and producers.
How has your sound has grown or modified since your first album?
That could be a query that also drives me nuts. Principally as a result of I really feel like we nonetheless have a protracted journey forward of us in terms of growing our sound. Since Opus Uno, my objective has been to flee the jail of the traditional rock band. Aka you will have all the standard items, drums, electrical guitar, bass, and instantly you don’t sound completely different from every other band. My objective is to make use of the devices and sounds that we have now at our disposal as instruments or colours in a palette for the sake of getting emotions throughout, relatively than sticking to a sure typical formulation or framework. I’ve all the time actually loved the extra experimental aspect of music, however the path to department out in a tangible method has all the time evaded me. To present you a concrete reply, our sound hasn’t modified that a lot in my view. Nonetheless it’s a way more polished sound – we’ve been striving to embrace simplicity, restraint, and endurance, and I feel I’m way more assured as a vocalist now. From a sonic standpoint, ‘Doin’ Alright’ isn’t significantly bold, however we have now extra to return this 12 months!
Who have been a few of your inspirations musically for “Doin’ Alright”?
I’d be mendacity if I didn’t identify Sam Evian firstly as an inspiration for this monitor (and another Patzy tunes!) His delicate falsetto makes me swoon, and his groovy, swirly sound hits me in the most effective spot. Doin’ Alright was born with me simply enjoying it on an acoustic guitar sitting on the aspect of my mattress, however I knew that I wished it to pack a punch. I can’t get sufficient of the songs and textures on ‘Premiuim,’ and the drums on ‘You, Ceaselessly.’
You’ve mentioned the track is about anxiousness and worries for the long run. Was writing the monitor therapeutic in that respect?
Writing ‘Doin’ Alright’ was full remedy! It’s loopy how we are likely to preserve the issues that fear us and preserve us up at night time bottled up inside! It was thrilling simply saying a few of these issues out loud. I had no thought what the track was going to be about when the primary line got here out, however I simply stored going with it. Out of the blue the track grew to become a enjoyable distinction between the verses and the lyrics – the verses construct up the stress and the unhappy sentiment and also you surprise, the place’s he going with this, however then the refrain drops, and the stress is launched and it’s so satisfying. That’s what this track is for me. In the beginning, it’s me granting myself permission to entertain the concept that I’m not simply flailing helplessly via life and that I can take a breath each occasionally.
What are the subsequent steps for Patzy? Do you will have one other album on the best way?
The primary subsequent step is continuous to launch three extra singles throughout 2021! We’re very pleased with them, though they don’t essentially suppose they match collectively significantly as a group, extra simply stand-alone songs. The following is to determine how on earth we’re going to begin enjoying exhibits once more. It’s an intimidating thought, particularly when the pandemic has severely restricted our means to get collectively as the complete band that will carry out dwell. However the place there’s a will there’s a method! Within the meantime, through the previous 12 months, I’ve set myself to the duty of changing into a extra prolific songwriter. My objective is to write down at the least a full album’s value of songs earlier than the top of this calendar 12 months and we’re not off to a foul begin:)
