Paradise in the Sky - Sunny Side Up
May 25th
Artwork by Jenna Brown, Paradise in the Sky logo by Josh Grilli
Garland Blogs: My music projects & their visual themes
I spend a lot of time thinking about the visual themes that go along with my music projects. I believe that album art (be it just the cover, or the whole package) can build atmosphere that changes the way we infer the music we listen to. Sometimes it goes beyond album art, and a band’s whole image can help build that atmosphere. An example of this is Daft Punk. They have a very distinct visual theme that is now synonymous with their sound. It’s strategic and can be part of the art of music in it’s own way.
Back in 2009, in my first ever release, Lost In Starlight, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I was going for other than a space theme.
When I made Technology Renaissance I had a more clear vision. I imagined film negatives as paintings. The cover was a painting done by a friend of mine with that in mind.
With the Sunny Side Up EP the idea of the visuals was meant to mirror that of the lyrics of Anthems for an Underdog. The idea here is that once we got clearance for using the somewhat-internet-famous picture of Matt Deviny blowing a trombone at a dead squirrel on a suburban street, was that the theme would be about wasted teenage summers in suburbia. I personally looked to the summers before having a drivers license, and asking myself, “what exactly did I do to pass time”?
The naive frustration of being a teenager in suburbia was what I tried to get across with the EP. I don’t know if anyone ever felt that atmosphere within the music, but I hope, for someone, it worked.
The idea with the SSU LP is very different. Given that we’re re-recording some of the EP songs for the album, I didn’t want the visual theme of the album to be too much of a departure from the idea of the EP. At first, I figured to just ramp up the scale. This is why the cover of the album is a city, it symbolizes leaving the desolate suburbs into a more busy, active, environment. If you break it down further, you could say that our band itself has mirrored this change in going from a passive to more active hobby since the EP was released.
As I worked with our artist on the initial concepts of the SSU album art (which there is MUCH more to be revealed), I started to think what would be a unique, but distinctly Garland type of visual theme. Most of the guys in the band don’t care much about the visuals. Because I’m the manager, I feel like I take it a little closer to heart than the rest of the guys. It’s okay though, cause it’s a fun outlet for me to be creative. The idea of the feel of the SSU LP is kind of hard to describe, and of the people I’ve tried describing it to, only my brother really understood. It’s like Sci-Fi Jet Set Radio mixed with 8-Bit, a small touch of anime, and big city sunsets. Make any sense? Didn’t think so. Regardless I think once people sees what the rest of the album’s visual theme encompasses, they’ll be pleased. We have something here that’s very unique. Jenna has done a great job helping flesh out this universe I have had in my head for years now and I can’t wait to show you all more.
So, what’s next? Be it SSU or otherwise I really lately have been digging the neo-80s thing. I’d like to do something with that someday.
thekelvinator said: aw shit are those all the same clothes from the album cover? I like it
More or less, yeah. There’s a couple differences. Lance got his hair cut off since the album cover was made so he has a hat now. Also Taylor’s afro is gone.
furrieseverywhere said: So when are y’all coming to south texas
We have a hookup in Austin from a guy we gave an EP to at Fun Fun Fun Fest. We may be coming there in late July but no guarantees.
