The Darcys – Fear & Loneliness

By: Jennifer Vintzileos

Q) How would you say your sound has developed over the past decade?

A) Sometimes I look back and can’t figure out how to begin to the trace the steps that brought us here. We started as a live band with a atmospheric and raw energy. Now, I think of us as studio artists who are more precise and articulate with our musical choices.

Q) Who would you say your musical influences are, compared to when you began The Darcys?

A) When we started it was all Radiohead all the time. Now, because we all consume so much music without any allegiance to genre, it’s hard to pin down our specific influences. That said, we just partnered with Topsify to launched a brand new playlist called “Inspired.” The playlist is full of songs that helped shape Fear & Loneliness!

Q) Tell us the story behind your latest single “Off The Deep.”

A) It’s about embracing the unknown and taking a headfirst plunge into uncertain waters. You’ll never know what’s down there until you take the leap, right? The song is connected to the greater Fear & Loneliness narrative, but it also speaks directly to our decision to release music independently and take better control of our career.

Q) Your first single off of Fear & Loneliness was “Look Me In the Eyes,” which you released a music video for. What was the concept behind that video?

A) We partnered with director Emma Higgins to build out the first taste of the Fear & Loneliness. Every song, video and visual asset from this album cycle is deeply interconnected and each release teases Easter eggs from songs still to come. The “Look Me in the Eyes” video was an important first step to establishing the clandestine world of the album. It was difficult making a video during COVID, but the whole team did an incredible job.

Q) With Fear & Loneliness coming out soon was there a particular track that you would consider your favorite?

A) “Shangri-Lost,” hands down. I love that song so much. I feel it represents us at our most weird, exploratory and creative. Remember me by “Shangri-Lost.” It’s the best song I will ever write.

Q) What do you hope fans take away from the new album?

A) That’s a tough question to answer. Everyone listens to music so differently and takes very different things away from the experience. I hope people feel this is us at our best. There are immediate moments on the record, like “Look Me in the Eyes” and “Too Late,” but there are also songs that deserve a patient listen and I really hope people put in that effort. I feel like this is the must true to ourselves we’ve ever sounded and I hope that connects with people and inspires them to find their own space to explore and create.

Q) Fear & Loneliness was inspired by Hollywood’s Golden Age. What defining characteristics about that time period helped in creating this album?

A) What’s not to love about the movies? They’re glamorous and exciting and magical. On the surface, LA is so full of that movie nostalgia that it’s easy to get stuck in it’s quicksand. After spending a lot of time there, I started think about each of these songs as scenes in a movie. Things like The Chateau, Sunset Boulevard, swimming pools in the hills, and the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. All the classic images became visual cues that informed both the lyrics and the sound of the record. I like to think of the album as a dare and a cautionary tale all at once.

Q) As live music is currently on hold due to the pandemic, have you thought about doing some virtual concerts on social media? Will there be a virtual listening party for Fear & Loneliness?

A) We’ve been so wrapped up in trying to finish the album that performing live hasn’t even been a blip on the radar.

Q) When you were performing live, which venue was your favorite to play?

A) I’ve always had a soft spot for the El Rey Theatre (in Los Angeles).

Q) Aside from the upcoming album, what other style, time-period, or concept would you love to explore for a future project?

A) I’m working on a kind of solo record, with Jason’s [Couse] help, that is full on spaghetti western themed…

Q) If I were to peruse your music collection, what would I find in current rotation and what artist/band would you consider your musical guilty pleasure?

A) I still can’t tell if The Killers are a guilty pleasure or just a pleasure. Jason got me hooked on that Diplo song “Heartless” and I’m a sucker for anything Calvin Harris.

All Questions Answered By Wes Marskell