Carousel Kings – Not Settling Yet

By starrymag | October 10, 2022

By: Jennifer Vitzileos

 

 

Q) How would you best describe your sound? 

A) I guess its alternative rock with an eclectic assortment of influences.

Q) Tell us the story behind “Not Settling Yet.” 

A) We needed another quick song to do in the studio, so we reached out to AJ [Perdomo] and he had some demos he had laying around. So, he sent five songs over that he said might be cool, and we ended up picking that one. We added the chorus and bridge and some energy and kinda brought what he had to life a bit more. It was fun collaborating with Grant [McFarland], Carson [Slovak], Will and AJ on this one.

Q) Since its release, what has been the overall reaction from fans and listeners to “Not Settling Yet?” 

A) It seems to be well received so far. A lot of blink comparisons

Q) For “Not Settling Yet” you collaborated with A.J. Perdomo from Dangerous Summer. How did you end up working with AJ on this song and how did his contribution influence the overall feel and final cut of the track? 

A) We did another song featuring AJ in the bridge the day before on a song called “Kitty Chord.” We were in a pinch, so I figured wonder if he’d be down to do anything else if he’s home in his studio. He sent his parts straight away pretty much. This song only happened because AJ was down to truly collab. He sent over five of his demos, we picked that one and crushed it out as a team. This song has positive vibes all over it.

Q) What message do you hope fans take away from “Not Settling Yet?” 

A) Life is tough but worth it.

Q) “Not Settling Yet” is the fourth single leading up to your upcoming album Untitled Mixtape. What are some themes that you’ll be exploring on this new album? 

A) Lyrically, there are a lot of cloud references. Sound wise we explored our own creative hunger to see what different rock songs might come out if we took down some boundaries. I think a lot of the songs were created “in the moment” in the studio with Grant and Carson so its polished yet raw.

Q) In addition to your other numerous collaborations on Untitled Mixtape with artists Sadgods, Sunday Friend, Paycheck, Saxl Rose, and Rory Rodriguez, you also worked with Grant McFarland and Carson Slovak, whose portfolio of work includes artists such as Candlebox, Live, and August Burns Red. What types of conversations did you have with McFarland and Slovak in the songwriting and recording process of the album? 

A) Grant was actually the first engineer to ever record us way back in about 2008 or 2009. We usually watch funny videos or chat Star Wars stuff.  We actually did the full length albums A Slice of Heaven (2012), Unity and Polarity (2014) and Charm City (2017) with both Carson and Grant. So, I don’t know. It just feels really great working with these two guys. It feels normal. Carson is funny and a really chill to track with.

Q) I absolutely love “Not Settling Yet” and “Forgive and Regret.” Which song or songs on Untitled Mixtapewas your favorite to write and record and why? 

A) My favorite was a song called “Empty Clouds.” It reminds me of everything I enjoy about the 90s/00s pop punk stuff I grew up on.

Q) With the upcoming release of Untitled Playlist, is there a tour in the works? 

A) We are waiting to see what happens. We have no plans at the moment

Q) Which song(s) of Carousel Kings is your favorite to perform live and why?

A) My favorite song might be a tossup between “Here, Now, Forever” and “Grey Goose” because they are the easiest to remember. “Here Now” is pretty vibey.

Q) Who would you love to collaborate with on a song in the future? 

A) Eminem, Mark Hoppus, Travis Barker, Guardin, Polyphia, Powfu

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters of your music? 

A) Thanks for listening. Check out the merch store if you wanna preorder the new album and support independent artists.

 

 

 

All Questions Answered By Vocalist David Alexander