It’s been three years since Paper Route had released their first record Absence. And even with hitting a few bumps on the road, JT, Chad, and Gavin have proven that their combined tenacity can make the Paper Route dynamic stronger, ultimately leading up to the release of their forthcoming record, The Peace of Wild Things. The band is currently heading on the road for a mini East Coast tour, starting tomorrow in Philadelphia and making a stop in Washington, DC. We spoke to JT Daly from the band about their upcoming record, their recent 3-year anniversary contest for Absence, and more! Check out our interview with band down below.
Paper Route w/ Halfnoise are coming to Red Palace this Friday 6/22. Tickets are still available, so don’t miss out!
Listen their new single “You and I” below from The Peace of Wild Things.
First off, it has been quite sometime since I’ve seen you guys in DC and we’re incredibly psyched that you’re coming back for a visit. And obviously, things have changed a lot since then. How have the three of you dealt which such a transition, from writing and recording a new album to the process of releasing it with it just being the three of you?
I feel as if we’ve changed in almost every way. We’ve been through so much now, it’s as if we’ve fused together without even knowing it. Since our last album, all of us have reached a point where the other two had to basically hold the other up while life just happened. This bled into the writing and recording process. And even more so after our album was finished. We just had to wait. And everyone knows time, although consistent in it’s measurement, can completely change it’s pace. A day felt like a month and we all were barely holding on.
It’s been quite a time lapse since the release of Absence, three years in fact. Looking back at all the hard work you all have put into making your first full- length album, what did you love most about the experience?
There was a good six months where we were just recording at the Grantland house not having any idea what we were actually doing. Is this an album? Double album? Do we tour? Are we a band? We had no idea. We were just there because for reasons i cannot describe, we had to be. It was a very pure time.
While we’re on the topic of your first record, the band recently held a contest for the 3-year anniversary of Absence – how did you all react to the submissions from the fans who participated?
It was kind of mind blowing. Each story was it’s own movie. At one point there were 6 grown men in our van ALL with at least one tear in our eye listening to a submission. We’ve always tended to be a pretty honest band. Honest lyrically, and honest with our fans. I think it was the first time it was really directed back at us. And the overall subjects of things like resilience and hope in the midst of complete devastation felt almost overwhelming.
Your second album The Peace Of Wild Things has yet to be released to the world but tracks from the record have been floating around for fans to hear. How has the response been like so far?
I was nervous about this at first… not gonna lie. But so far, it couldn’t be going better.
Let’s talk about the record a little bit. Has the songwriting aspect of this record changed at all this time around?
I guess yes and no. We still tend to write like a hip hop artist most times. Beats, sounds, pulling things apart, .. putting a chorus from this song in another song etc. But this time there was a lot of focus on my voice. I had to grow into being comfortable with it. I’ve always loved huge tracks, just walls of sound, and then this daydreamer in the center of it whispering lines. It made sense to me in the past. But this time around i found myself almost yelling the melodies and lines. And i felt like we all agreed that the tracks warranted that this time around. The healthy competition between Chad and I continued as well. My one room was on the 2nd floor of Joy Mansion, and Chad had the Paper Route floor on the first. So we found ourselves secretly listening to the other’s songs and trying to impress each other.
As for recording The Peace Of Wild Things, were there any challenges in that department? Where did you all record the album and who helped produce it?
It would be easier to answer this question by flipping it. Because literally, everything was a challenge making this album. So let’s focus on the positives. Here, I made a list:
- found an old mansion (called Joy Mansion) in Nashville, TN.
- moved in.
- recorded there, did art shows there, filmed there, it was a garden of art.
- the 3 of us didn’t quit the band.
- we recorded more than an album’s worth of songs.
- we like those songs.
- God was inside of that house (but it seemed the Devil was waiting at the driveway).
Being short a member now, does the dynamic for your live shows change at all? Does it affect the performances when singing older tracks?
Not really. I mean we definitely had some good years as a 4 piece. I’m thankful for that. But we seem stronger than ever. Even our fans have told us this.
As I’ve mentioned before, it’s been a while since we’ve seen you in DC and I can remember nothing but love from the crowds that came out to see you. From your perspective, how were your experiences with the DC crowds?
I kind of don’t remember. But i have noticed more and more people singing along etc. these days. It’s definitely welcome in this band. The community behind Paper Route is more than half the reason why we’ve survived.
I’m excited to see you all again – it literally has been way too long! And us fans will continue to wait for the new album. Any last words you want to get out to the readers?
Evolve or die. And love (really is) all that you need.
For more information on Paper Route, visit their website, like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter @paperroute
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