Vast Robots Armies have recently released their EP Dinner Music to the world. Consisting of Jason Thomson – vocals and guitars, John Agee on vocals and bass, Joseph Wells on lead guitar and drummer Chris Mercalf, the band have described their new release as ‘So far, so good’.
Loaded with audio effects; echos, reverbs, choruses, phasers, flangers, volume swells, the album rides the line between being muscular 90s rock (think Failure/Jawbox) and sending the guitars into the atmosphere.
Following up after 2015’s Little Creatures Jason flew into Chicago from Toronto, while John and Joe drove up from Kansas City, Missouri to meet up with Chris Metcalf. It had been almost 2 years since they had all seen each other. They had two days over the next 14 to learn and craft from the the demos Jason had been passing back and forth to John and Joe in Missouri earlier that spring. What follows is Vast Robot Armies strongest effort to date. What began as a one man band with 2013’s Goodnight Myopia, turned into cross country collaboration with 2015’s Little Creatures, and now with 2017 we have what is without question and full band and entity.
We managed to catch up with Joseph and Jason from the band as they talk about the latst release and more!
How has the release of Dinner Music gone down with fans so far?
Joseph Wells – So far, so good.
Jason Thomson – It has gone great. The feedback has been fantastic! Couldn’t be happier to receive the recognition we’ve gotten thus far. Considering how things have evolved for music and music listeners we are happy people have taken the time to dig in and reach out to us to let us know how they feel about it.
Tell us something about the release no one knows?
Joseph Wells- It’s my favorite album with VRA so far.
Jason Thomson – Not sure my bandmates even know this one, but half the song title came from my year living in Vancouver B.C. (Canada). The titles which started as the demo titles were all based off bands I played with or was friends with, and some of the cooler venues from Vancouver in the early 90’s that we all played in. At the time of writing I found myself really reflecting back on those years, and I realized how instrumental they were in helping me develop as a musician so I wanted to play homage and have an inside joke with any of my old friends from those days that might be paying attention.
How is this different to ‘Little Creatures’?
Joseph Wells – More accessible tracks. It goes more directions than little creatures.
Jason Thomson – I find this record breathes better. More organic. Like joe pointed out, it does move bette from song to song.
What is your favourite song from the latest release?
Joseph Wells – Sailing stones ended up becoming so different in the studio. I really appreciate what it is now considering where it came from, and it has really become my favorite.
Jason Thomson – To leverage Joe’s “it turned into something else in the studio” I’d have to say Cruel Elephant. It was the first song written / demoed for this record. I wrote it on a ukulele at first and fleshed it out. But the ukulele parts stayed so when we went to Chicago I brought the ukulele with me from Toronto to record with. When it came time to record it, we didn’t realize how trick it actually was to play. The phrasing in the verses is really odd. Where the vocals come in vs where the lead line turn was a huge pain in the studio. So when we got the mixes Allen Epley and Eric Abert had done some creative edits and streamlined the song. At forst I thought I’d miss the ukulele but it made it a much more powerful song.
Also Joe ended up playing this vibraphone in the studio during the choruses and it made the whole song really come together.
So you all live long distance, do you think it will be struggle to really make it unless you were to live in the same area?
Joseph Wells – I guess I’d want to define “making it”. I think we are all doing something we love and if we get noticed for that then so be it. It’s not about fame of making money but a Labour of Love.
Jason Thomson – It funny, I will talk to people about how different it is in music and in a very ironic way it’s easier and much more difficult in the time we live. If you consider back before the internet it was some challenging getting into a position where you might get a chance to be heard, but if and when you did, because of the construct of the system and the machine behind it you could actually “make it” Now-a-days it’s somewhat easy to get into the position to be heard, and everyone could in theory make music. But ironically now that it’s easier to be head, less people give a shit because and the powers that be recognize that and done push and develop acts the way they did before the internet.
So on one hand, i love the fact we have our distance, it really is a part of who we are, and our sound. It presents a challenge that we channel and end up focusing on, in a different way than bands that get together 3 times a week to jam it out in a studio.
Will you be going on tour at all this year?
Joseph Wells – TBD
Jason Thomson – This is where the distance plays against us. It’s really tricky to line up our schedules to coordinate a tour in the true sense. We are discussing strategic runs in key cities.
If you could work with any band on a new song who would it be and why?
Joseph Wells – Queens of the Stone Age. Our track “Spider and the fly” took on this kinda desert rock feel and I wish it just went that direction further.
Jason Thomson – Easy. ELO. Man, to work with Jeff Lynne, and pick his brain for even 5 minutes. That would be amazing.
So what is the alternative scene like in your respective hometowns?
Joseph Wells – Kansas City has a great Alt Rock scene. With bands like The Get Up Kids and Reggie and The Full Effect, to up and coming bands like Be/Non and Janeki.
Jason Thomson – Toronto is thriving. I really have to single out one band. Dearly Beloved. They are fantastic.
What do you get up to in your spare time while not writing music?
Jason Thomson – I worked recently with my friend Jeff Nesker. He is a film maker. He recently tasked me with scoring his feature film, Elsewhere N.Y. which enjoye a successful run through a myriad of festivals