INTERVIEW: KEYS AND VICES CHAT UPCOMING RECORD 'CHRONIC NOSTALGIA'

Photo: Jennifer Valdez

​Which track on your upcoming album “Chronic Nostalgia” best represents your sound as a whole? 

Jennifer Valdez: “I would say our song ‘Out of My Head’ represents our sound best. It was one of the last songs recorded for the upcoming album, but a lot of the new music we’re writing is more bass driven like that song. Kevin’s bass skills are unlike anyone I’ve ever met, he plays bass like a lead guitarist, and our next album will have a different feel because of that.”

Kevin McCarty: “I would say the same as Jenn, ‘Out of My Head’, but y’all haven’t heard ‘Lemon Tree’ yet! Just wait.”

While making this record, did you have the title pre-determined, or was the concept created after all songs were completed? 


Jennifer Valdez: “The concept of the album came to me after the songs were completed because they all had that same theme. I wrote and recorded most of the songs except a few on the album that were after Kris and Kevin joined the project, so you’ll hear the music shift with those songs compared to the ones I wrote the music myself. They definitely rescued my writer’s block near the end of the album and we’ll have a very different theme on the next album since we’re writing all the songs together.”

Will you be touring at all to promote this record? 


Jennifer Valdez: “We’re ramping up and booking many future shows to promote this album and hopefully a tour will be in our near future!” 

Which track was the most difficult to write? 

Jennifer Valdez: “For me, it was the song ‘Count Back’. This was the first song I wrote for this album, and I struggled with trying to find a balance of writing all the different melodies and music parts, but without making it sound too busy or muddy. My best friend and amazing musician, Eric Davis, of the band ‘Ghost Color’ offered up a guitar hook and that beautiful piece inspired me to iron out the rest of the song. The final song additions to the album that I wrote with Kris and Kevin (Running Away, How Do I, Out of My Head) were seamless and practically wrote themselves because we’ve all been writing music together for many years in our previous band ‘March Into Paris’.”


Kevin McCarty: “Not to sound cocky but none really. The way we work, vibe and click together kind of makes everything feel natural. The chemistry is strong in us!”


What comes next for Keys And Vices? 


Jennifer Valdez: “We’re almost finished writing the songs for the next album. Don’t get too excited though, we want everyone to listen and enjoy this first album, connect with us and especially rock out with us! We’ll be releasing a new song later this year as a single, and then before you know it MORE NEW MUSIC. We are writing machines and can’t wait to get back in the studio!”

Kevin McCarty: “Hmm… what comes next? I feel a comment from Pinky and The Brain will do well here so let me say, ‘it’s time to take over the world!’.”

Facebook: @keysandvicesband
Twitter: @keysandvices
Instagram: @keysandvices
Keys And Vices website: https://www.keysandvices.com/ 

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