Finding a new band or musical act has become almost a chore. There are just so many out there that it can be difficult to wade through the mass to find those that are really trudging along in the face of overwhelming odds. Well, we at Everything Is Noise are trying to do our part to help point out the acts that are worthy of mention, regardless of their genre. This week we will get an insight into Good Fall, and how they have created an album that I have placed as a contender for my AOTY list.
One of the few aspects of group that nearly always catches my eye is the name. An interesting name can really draw in listeners (myself included). When asked about the name ‘Good Fall‘, the idea was much more organic and nearly philosophical than I had anticipated.
‘As for the idea behind the name, as it turns out, we are all extremely particular people. Picking a band name that everybody liked for longer than a few weeks proved to be a feat. It wasn’t until Andy suggested the name “Good Fall” that we all unanimously decided that it was easily the best name any of us had come up with. I think it resonated with us all maybe for different reasons, but I appreciate the name because it joins two contradictory words. How could a fall be good? How good could the fall truly be? It makes you think.’
Speaking of the album, I almost couldn’t praise it enough in my review. Each track was wonderful, and there was enough variety to keep the album from becoming stale. There was originality and maturity spilling from it. The songs were fun and exciting, with enough talent to keep me going through the album multiple times over. Yet even with all of those listens, the band has enlightened me that there was even more beyond the surface.
‘Editor’s Letter is a concept album, wherein the protagonist struggles to find himself within the very world he created in his mind. He starts out as a sort of narcissist with the typical ‘everything is about me’ attitude. Through hardship and experiences he faces, he later realizes the errors in his ways and eventually comes to terms with not being able to be in control of every situation. Each song depicts another chapter in the protagonist’s life, hence the very drastic vibe changes between songs. We just hope people can take something away from this album, whether they figure out the concept themselves, or formulate one of their own.’
Having inspirations is not only meaningful, it is critical for growth and expansion. This is true in life and in art. Whether that inspiration be an artistic envy, or simply just adoration, having that constant stimulus can be a cornerstone in development. That could be a parental figure, a glorious piece of art, or the people or groups around you that give incentives to keep progressing and pushing the envelope.
‘I believe I can speak for everyone by saying bands like Hail The Sun, The Contortionist, The Reign of Kindo, From Indian Lakes, Chon, and Circa Survive were all major points of inspiration during the writing process for this release. We all have varying tastes, but we all seem to be able to find similarities in pop and post-hardcore especially. We also enjoy modern, jazzy type artists, such as Hiatus Kaiyote and Snarky Puppy, to name a couple. We all enjoy the musings of Little Tybee, Copeland, and Basement a lot as well.’
Many of these bands that they call their inspirations can easily be seen in their music. With the variety of their music, there is ample room for there to be aspects that are reminiscent of these groups. From the vocals and lyrics, to the, at times, complexity of the melodies, its clear that they have drawn insight from them, yet have been able to make each and every idea drawn from that inspiration their own many times over.
Because I am a bit odd (or so I think so), a question I always have for bands – whether or not I could actually ever ask them – is which song do they like the most? Most fans easily have at least one that they have on constant repeat, and will scream from the mountain tops that it is the best. Thankfully, this is one opportunity that I could actually get the answer for a constant question.
‘Hmmmm, this is always a tough one. Our favorite song collectively might be “Knows”, but close seconds would probably be “Physics”, and/or “Light Something”. It’s so hard to choose, because every song has a very distinct feeling, which could change on a per day basis.’
Future aspirations are always important. Being able to maintain the momentum from an album such as Editor’s Letter is imperative, whether that be more music coming or touring. Trying to retain the fans they have garnered is an adventure in itself, yet Good Fall have that front covered as well.
‘We are currently working on material for an EP release set to drop hopefully during the winter months! Nothing is set in stone yet, but more music is definitely in the works. As for touring, it hasn’t really been on our collective radar yet. We’re still relatively new, so we are still trying to build up a local/tri-state fanbase before we set out to do anything as ambitious as even a week-long tour.’
My review was just one of multiple outlets praising their debut album. I have done my best to share it with as many people as will hear me out. While critical reception is great, it is what the fans – new and old – have to say about it, and they have been saying a lot.
‘It’s been, to our surprise, overwhelmingly positive. We have been receiving a good number of messages from people telling us how much our music has spoken to them, or even how it has helped them through a rough time in their lives. Not to mention that the reception at our shows has been incredibly positive as well. While we love to write music for ourselves, the fact that other people not only enjoy it, but find solace within it, is truly inspiring. We never thought we could have this type of interaction and impact with our potential fans, so the fact that we are is more than we could have asked for from releasing this album.’
Good Fall are:
Christopher Kapschock: Vocals/Guitar
Andy Nemeth: Guitar
Connor DeVries: Drums
Ben Knudson: Keys
Brian Marion: Bass
‘I’d just like to take a second to thank all of our friends for the ceaseless support through the years, and a huge thank you to anyone who has listened to the album, or supported us in any way. It truly means the world to us.’
