They won our hearts with the earworm "David Bowie (Save Us All)," but Cleveland's own The Modern Electric has proven time and again they've got the skills to create more than one hit song that will withstand the tests of time. With lush orchestrations and the adept lyricism of frontman Garrett Komyati, the quartet has set forth to release a new album, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, with a music video per song that they've written and directed. We sat down with singer Garrett to discuss the new album, what makes Cleveland the ideal place for a band to be.
- Amber Patrick
You've created your own genre. Can you explain to us what cinematic pop is?
Cinematic pop has a strong focus on melody and hooks, but the cinematic part is two-fold. We are inspired to write songs after watching classic works of cinema, so the music is really born out of film. Most importantly, we want to provide a soundtrack to the lives of our fans.
Were there some film scores that got you interested in creating music
that could be used in movies?
There have been a few soundtracks that made an impression on me. When Garden State came out, it helped me discover "indie" music and broadened my horizons past the strict Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd box I was stuck in. Another important soundtrack was Marie Antionette (directed by Sofia Coppola). It used modern music from bands like The Cure and The Strokes over top of a movie set in the 1700s. Brilliant!
Currently you're writing/directing your own music videos for your forthcoming album, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. How has this challenged you as visual artists?
We have always had a love for making videos and discovered we had a natural talent for editing. One day we hope to make a feature film. These monthly music videos have challenged us to step up our game in the areas that haven't been so natural to us like directing, acting and screenwriting. We are able to make the mistakes that every filmmaker must make in order to perfect his or her craft. It feels like a hands-on film school where we learn from trial and error, but have a lot of fun in the process.
Has it challenged you at all as musicians to step behind the camera?
I think it has changed the way we interpret the meaning of our songs. It is limiting to pull a music video plot from the lyrics by trying to be literal and portray verbatim what the song is about. I now can see how a line that has a finite literal meaning to the writer has room to be interpreted to tell a completely different story. We have done that with a few of our music videos already. It's interesting to view your own songs through that lens and I can see how that may affect my lyric writing in the future.
You're also releasing a video each month off the album with a different press publication premiering each one. Why did you choose to release the album this way?
We are premiering each of our videos with a different press outlet in order to invite new people on the journey we're taking this year. Each blog or magazine we talk to has a readership that appreciates similar music. We are hoping too that someone may stumble upon one of our video premiers and be lead deeper into our catalog of videos and songs.
- Amber Patrick
You've created your own genre. Can you explain to us what cinematic pop is?
Cinematic pop has a strong focus on melody and hooks, but the cinematic part is two-fold. We are inspired to write songs after watching classic works of cinema, so the music is really born out of film. Most importantly, we want to provide a soundtrack to the lives of our fans.
Were there some film scores that got you interested in creating music
that could be used in movies?
There have been a few soundtracks that made an impression on me. When Garden State came out, it helped me discover "indie" music and broadened my horizons past the strict Led Zeppelin/Pink Floyd box I was stuck in. Another important soundtrack was Marie Antionette (directed by Sofia Coppola). It used modern music from bands like The Cure and The Strokes over top of a movie set in the 1700s. Brilliant!
Currently you're writing/directing your own music videos for your forthcoming album, Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. How has this challenged you as visual artists?
We have always had a love for making videos and discovered we had a natural talent for editing. One day we hope to make a feature film. These monthly music videos have challenged us to step up our game in the areas that haven't been so natural to us like directing, acting and screenwriting. We are able to make the mistakes that every filmmaker must make in order to perfect his or her craft. It feels like a hands-on film school where we learn from trial and error, but have a lot of fun in the process.
Has it challenged you at all as musicians to step behind the camera?
I think it has changed the way we interpret the meaning of our songs. It is limiting to pull a music video plot from the lyrics by trying to be literal and portray verbatim what the song is about. I now can see how a line that has a finite literal meaning to the writer has room to be interpreted to tell a completely different story. We have done that with a few of our music videos already. It's interesting to view your own songs through that lens and I can see how that may affect my lyric writing in the future.
You're also releasing a video each month off the album with a different press publication premiering each one. Why did you choose to release the album this way?
We are premiering each of our videos with a different press outlet in order to invite new people on the journey we're taking this year. Each blog or magazine we talk to has a readership that appreciates similar music. We are hoping too that someone may stumble upon one of our video premiers and be lead deeper into our catalog of videos and songs.
What do you think makes Cleveland an ideal place for a band?
We feel like we are in a great location for touring right in the heart of the midwest. We are right between Chicago and New York -- both major tour stops/music hubs. We are also a small lake away from touring internationally.
How do you think our community varies from others?
We aren't influenced by flaky trends as much in this city. I could see how a band living in LA or New York could lose themselves in the competitiveness or desire to be on the bleeding edge of a new sound in order to stand out. Here in Cleveland there isn't that same pressure to adapt to the trendy sounds of the year. It leads to more authentic, honest music.
We know you're a big fan of David Bowie. Besides him, if you could create a dream bill, who would you play with?
I would love to tour with either Delta Spirit, Spoon or Cold War Kids. Those three bands are on a very similar wavelength, in my opinion. We opened for Cold War Kids in Columbus last year, we are opening for Delta Spirit this week and we recorded our new album in Austin, TX with Spoon's producer Mike McCarthy. Basically, all my wildest dreams are coming true.
What sort of advice would you give to someone who wants to pave their
own way as you have?
Please make sure you are creating things that matter to you, that move you, that are you are tied to deeply and personally. Don't cater to commercial viability at the expense of personal expression. Every song I've written is for a specific person, I keep that person in mind from the first lyric in the writing process to the last edit in the recording process. I have something to say to them in the song and if I manage to express it and they eventually hear it, then I consider it a success. This mindset makes the pressure of selling records, making the charts, getting a million views or likes disappear and leads to a joy and satisfaction in the art you create. I think you will find that honest music and true art has the power to be universal.
We feel like we are in a great location for touring right in the heart of the midwest. We are right between Chicago and New York -- both major tour stops/music hubs. We are also a small lake away from touring internationally.
How do you think our community varies from others?
We aren't influenced by flaky trends as much in this city. I could see how a band living in LA or New York could lose themselves in the competitiveness or desire to be on the bleeding edge of a new sound in order to stand out. Here in Cleveland there isn't that same pressure to adapt to the trendy sounds of the year. It leads to more authentic, honest music.
We know you're a big fan of David Bowie. Besides him, if you could create a dream bill, who would you play with?
I would love to tour with either Delta Spirit, Spoon or Cold War Kids. Those three bands are on a very similar wavelength, in my opinion. We opened for Cold War Kids in Columbus last year, we are opening for Delta Spirit this week and we recorded our new album in Austin, TX with Spoon's producer Mike McCarthy. Basically, all my wildest dreams are coming true.
What sort of advice would you give to someone who wants to pave their
own way as you have?
Please make sure you are creating things that matter to you, that move you, that are you are tied to deeply and personally. Don't cater to commercial viability at the expense of personal expression. Every song I've written is for a specific person, I keep that person in mind from the first lyric in the writing process to the last edit in the recording process. I have something to say to them in the song and if I manage to express it and they eventually hear it, then I consider it a success. This mindset makes the pressure of selling records, making the charts, getting a million views or likes disappear and leads to a joy and satisfaction in the art you create. I think you will find that honest music and true art has the power to be universal.
Check Out The Modern Electric
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http://www.themodernelectric.com/
This is there new single
The Wait
@themodernelectric
https://www.facebook.com/themodernelectric
Website
http://www.themodernelectric.com/
This is there new single
The Wait
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