The Maguas – Shapeless

By starrymag | January 23, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

Matt: I feel like it’s always tough to define your own sound, but personally, I think our sound is very reminiscent of early 2000s emo / rock outfits. When I listen to bands like MCR, Hawthorne Heights, Rise Against and many others of that 2000s era, I think sonically it stems from a very similar universe, and I’d attribute it to the production really. Every instrument is recorded analog, mic’d up and backed by a roaring performance. Our sound is dynamically huge and not overly compressed, which really makes it sound like that era of rock music.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

Brandon: From the earlier emo days, I was largely influenced by The Story of The Year, My Chemical Romance, Paramore, & Senses Fail. Movements, Mayday Parade & The Wonder Years are some of my current influences.

Erik: MCR, Periphery, The Wonder Years, Movements

Daulton: The Wonder Years, The Story So Far, My Chemical Romance, Judas Priest, Movements

Luke: Rush, Tool, Movements, Hot Mulligan, TTNG, Periphery, City and Colour, This Wild Life, polyphia.

Matt: Breaking Benjamin, Killswitch Engage, Nirvana, System of a Down, Linkin Park, HIM

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Shapeless.”

Erik: “Shapeless” is about the slurry of emotions that come from loss. It’s about depression, anger and guilt coming together to cause a sort of dissociation. Eventually, the memory is hard to pin down because you’ve tried so hard to understand it but the more you press on, the more it becomes misshapen and difficult to see clearly. In the end, you’re left with more questions than answers.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

Daulton: There’s a real visceral emotion in this song that I think connects with the audience. A lot of the songs on this upcoming EP have a darker feel. A lot of things in this world can be bleak, especially recently and the songs on this EP and specifically “
“Shapeless” is certainly relatable to that feeling of anger and pain being felt by a lot of people.

Matt: “Shapeless” is a super upbeat song and has some of the coolest instrumental parts we’ve written so far across the board. As soon as the song starts, it keeps you locked in every second until it finishes on a final bang. I think with how dynamic the song is, matched with the powerful hook sang by Erik, it really keeps the audience enthralled for the entirety of the song.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

Daulton: The setting of this video is very worn down and broken by time, in the same sense of how the lyrics talk about the fading memory associated with time and the dilapidation of your surroundings with time. We wanted to have a figure, almost “shapeless,” moving around the video as if it was a memory that’s hard to pin down. Alex Zarek did an amazing job bringing the vision to life and creating a video that fits thematically. Brian Olivio also was incredible with the lighting creating this almost nostalgia but in a haunting sense throughout the video.

 

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

Brandon: I think our writing process varies from track to track, which is really exciting when you break it down. For myself, it comes in the form of storytelling – whether it be that I hear a melody in my head or write a poem that is then broken down into lyrics, I always try to envision a moment in time and paint that picture with the lyrics. Matthew Jenkins, our in-house producer/guitarist typically will already have some musical parts ready to write lyrics to, but there have been many times when we’ve sat down together and created something completely from scratch, which is always an exciting moment. Our methods vary from songwriter to songwriter in our band, which I think only helps to give us new variety and a fresh take on our own sound!

Erik: It’s pretty scattered. A lot of the time, Brandon will have a lyrical vision and Jenks will help crafting the instruments around that. From there, we try to get together for an extended period of time to go through everything. Other demos will come from me, some we’ll work on together, sometimes two or three of us will do something; it’s really just an idea machine until we sit down and sort through. From there, we’ll all have input on basically every aspect of the tracks and take some time to write things altogether as well. Once we get them to the finish line, Nik comes in as the final step and is another point of view to help finalize things.

Matt: We actually don’t need music beforehand, and most of the songs we write do just stem from a melody / lyrics Brandon has envisioned in his head. Personally, I have more of a music centric mind, and I struggle with writing meaningful lyrics, so it’s amazing to have Brandon who is so incredibly talented at crafting unique, powerful, and emotional stories behind the music. But we do write music in many fashions, whether it stems from music first, lyrics first, or just a band jam session where we write a song on the spot just jamming it out. Then from there, when the demo is created, it’s a collaborative process amongst all the guys until the final version is recorded, working with our producer and engineer Nik Bruzzese.

 

Q) Nik Bruzzese lent a hand on production for “Shapeless,” but how much of a say do you have in the production of your music?

Erik: We, ultimately, hold the keys to the castle. That being said, our dynamic with Nik is really based around trust, and we always value his opinions because he’s extremely talented and experienced. From the very beginning we were met with honest feedback and never cared too much for being defensive; we understand his value and if we didn’t want to be open to change we probably wouldn’t have gone to him. He’s taught us an immeasurable amount about songwriting, and we always try to apply that knowledge when we go back to him with new music. So, short answer, we make the final decision, but at this point it’s hard to even make a distinction between band members and Nik. He’s really come to be a special part of this, and we like to call him the sixth member.

Matt: Nik’s input is invaluable. When you’re sitting on demos for the next album ready to record for many months prior to actually heading into the studio, it’s easy to lose sight of the final image sometimes and develop narrow minded opinions. Nik will shut your “demo-itis” right down. He will give you a downright honest answer of what he thinks are the best songs and what he thinks we can change in the songs to make them better. At the end of the day, it is ultimately our choice with every decision, but having Nik as a producer has been instrumental in crafting the sound of The Maguas everyone knows and loves.

 

Q) You’re working on your third album. What are some themes you explore on it?

Brandon: For this new record, we certainly leaned a bit more into our rock sound but with a purpose. This record was very cathartic for us and was written during a very difficult time, both in the world and on a personal level. We experienced so much loss and heartache, and it truly reflects in our writing of this record. I, personally, feel this new record reflects who we are as a band and am so proud of the final product!

 

Q) You’re back on tour now. Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

Brandon: A hometown show in Scranton, PA is always one of the best feelings in the world to me. The opportunity to come home and play to our closest friends and family after some time away on the road is always a wonderful experience and one we certainly enjoy! I will also give a shout out to our second family down in Philadelphia – having lived there for a few years. It’s such an amazing feeling to play in that city and our fans there are incredible!

Matt: It’s always a blast to play in our hometown of Scranton. We receive so much love from our fans, friends and family in the area. One of my new favorite places is the Harrisburg area. The people coming out to the shows are amazing and so engaged to hear new live music. Also, shout-out to Philly. Every time we play there it feels like our home away from home. We always have an amazing time playing in the city of brotherly love!

 

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

Brandon: I would love to hear Dan Lambton (formerly of Real Friends), Charli Adams or even Andy Cizek (Monuments, WVNDER) on a track in the future!

Erik: Andy Cizek for sure.

Luke: TIM HENSON

Matt: Ollie Sykes

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

Brandon: Mayday Parade just released a killer new album that I highly recommend. I always find it so interesting to see the direction a veteran band takes their sound without losing their core and I feel MP are pro at handling that dichotomy.

Erik: I’ve been listening to a lot of Rarity. I love the energy and they just write really good songs.

Luke: I’ve been into Hot Mulligan a lot as of late. I really love what his raw vocals lend to the music. They incorporate a lot of emotion into their sound and the way the guitars are written provides a lot of energy to the tracks.

Matt: I’m obsessed with Turnstile’s “Glow On.” That album is probably my favorite of the year so far. The songs are so energetic and powerful, along with being super catchy. Every time I want to get pumped up, I turn on Holiday, and I’m instantly stoked. A few honorable mentions would be Heart Attack Man’s, Citizen’s and Teenage Wrist’s new 2021 releases.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

Brandon: As a band, our goal has always been to give back to our fans and to be there for them! Connecting with fans and being a part of their lives is such a wonderful experience and to be able to keep them informed on what we’re up to and have them feel included in all of this is why we love using social media in the way that we do!

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

Brandon: First and foremost, THANK YOU! Without our incredible fans and support system, we would never be able to do what we do now! Our fans have been so immensely positive and supportive of us since day one and we are so thankful for their support and love! We have plenty of new things to share with them in the coming months, and we are very much looking forward to seeing them again at a live show!

Erik: I’m just super grateful. We work really hard to demonstrate our vision and create something people will enjoy, and each time I get to experience someone connecting with our art is as good as the last. To anybody who is a fan of us, thank you, sincerely. Not a single ounce of support is taken for granted.

Matt: I just have to say thank you so much! It stems beyond just being a “fan” though. A lot of fans I have met have become great friends of mine, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity The Maguas has given me to meet so many awesome people in different areas I wouldn’t have met otherwise.