Peach Club, Emarosa’s fifth studio album released earlier this year was the personification of the band’s collective will to stick through the storm. In “Givin’ Up,” lead singer Bradley Walden spoke to almost leaving the music behind. Much like the album’s more pop-rock elements, the listener is able to dance through things like doubt and heartbreak. Sometimes, the only way out is through.
“I think that perseverance has shown in what we’re making now which I’m very proud of — and the fact that we have completely reinvented this band and has taken it to a place that it wasn’t before is pretty miraculous given the history in my opinion,” says Walden about the Peach Club era. In the long, storied history of the band which has seen many line up changes and a departure from their post-hardcore inception, this album may be the embodiment of staying the course.
Emarosa has an upcoming tour where they are electing to play the entirety of the Peach Club album. Almost all the dates have sold out, showing that they have made the right choice in stepping away from the mold that began with the band’s creation in 2008. “Ready To Love,” the band’s newest single shows the band comfortable in their new skin and beginning to shed past ills and expectations. I spoke with Walden about their newest song, how Peach Club was a jolt of creative energy for the band, and their impending tour.
The band has released a new song, “Ready To Love.” Congratulations on that! When I listened to it, I felt that it sounded like an extension of Peach Club, both musically and lyrically. Did you guys want to release a new song right before the tour?
I write a lot with Courtney Ballard who produced Peach Club and I think we definitely wanted to put a song out before the tour. After we did 131, it just was way too long before we released Peach Club. We didn’t want to have that happen again, especially the way that music moves and the way that we write. There’s a constantly evolving sound within this band, so we knew we wanted to put something out before the tour started.
I was writing with Courtney and our manager came in. He heard the idea that Courtney and I were working on and was like, “I don’t really like this.” So first, I told him to piss off because it was a great idea. Then Courtney and I kind of went back to the drawing board. He and I always write great songs. We started coming up with an idea and then sent it over to the band to try to get some input. It just started taking shape from there. The guys flew out to Los Angeles and then we just tracked it and put it down.
There’s a lot to like about the song musically ranging from the guitar solo to the harmonies you utilize. There’s a theme you speak to. That you’re not ready to love, but it won’t be too long. A lot of Peach Club touches a lot of post-breakup feelings, I feel. This song is like basically you coming out of that, finding a new situation having healed a bit in contemplation. Should I do this and should I take this chance? Am I ready?
Yeah, I just think so. It’s definitely an evolution from Peach Club because some of those songs were written a long time ago. Just because they were presented about 9-10 months ago, it doesn’t mean that’s when those experiences happen. Those experiences happened a long time ago. So, through that is a lot of growth and change. You go through things.
I think I went through the process where instead of embracing being lonely and trying to grow from that, I tried to escape from that loneliness. I think everybody goes through that. Finding solace in places that they shouldn’t. Not necessarily shouldn’t, but maybe a selfish place that helps them move on faster. This song is just kind of like a realization of sometimes you just have to sit in that place and let yourself heal. Go through that loneliness instead of trying to hide from it.
What are some of the music artists you’re listening to right now? I know that you’ve spoken to being a big neo-soul fan. I am as well.
One of my favorite artists right now is definitely Lolo Zouai. She’s so unique. I love her pop writing. I’m also really into Sasha Sloan. She’s a crazy, talented writer. Muna. I’ve really been vibing them. Carly Hanson. This is not in that neo-soul world, but I can’t enough of Kacey Musgraves. I think that she’s probably my favorite artist right now.
Another artist is Snoh Aalegra. She’s kind of in that R&B, soul world. I’m all over the place. Also, if you’re into that neo-soul vibe, this is probably crazy. You should probably check out the new Hello Goodbye album. They went way funk soul and it’s really cool. I could go on all day with what I’ve been jamming to lately.
Peach Club, that title in itself is very inclusive. I like that idea. The sounds of this album were even hinted at with Verses Reimaged. The response has been really positive overall. How do you feel about this era?
For sure. I would have to agree. The first song that I ever wrote this band was “Helpless” from Versus and that was probably the most pop-friendly type vibe at that time. I cannot take credit for the change in sound. Before I joined this band, there were four years of them just writing and creating and evolving as musicians. The original fan base was stuck in that 2007-2010 world of the band.
When I came in all those years ago, I actually tried to maneuver things to stay more in the rock world. I thought that it’d be too drastic of a change right away. I was actually more hesitant than the band was at that time because I knew I was going to have to be the scapegoat of [the] sound change. I wasn’t really comfortable then. Going forward and putting out Versus, 131, and Peach Club, it’s been a very progressive change for anyone paying attention in that way. While it went heavier in that pop world, you can’t listen to 131 and in the “Cloud Nine’s” and the “Helpless’s” that you didn’t see that coming in my opinion.
Obviously, I’m more attached to it, so I’m paying the most attention out of anybody. Going for it completely with Peach Club and seeing the response being what it was. Watching everything change and watching us grow into this new level of success, it’s nice, man. It’s refreshing. It’s refreshing to see all of that hard work from the past like six years of trying to write the ship to see it paying off the way it is now. We just found out that Salt Lake City has five tickets left. So, we’re on Part Two for this entire tour to be sold out, which is crazy. If you would have said seven years ago, Emarosa is going to have a sold-out tour from putting out a pop record, people would have said that you’re insane.
With “Ready To Love,” with the guitar solo, I wouldn’t say it’s a heaviness, but soulful. More soulful. Emarosa’s sound is elusive because you’ve added so many much more elements. It all works and I don’t think the heart of the band has been ever lost.
The heart of the band that hasn’t gone anywhere. I wouldn’t say that there’s one thing about “Ready To Love” that’s heavy. When I think heavy I think Like Moths To Flames. That’s what I think that’s heavy. I think it’s peaceful.
You listen to the guitar on Michael Jackson’s “Black or White.” Those guitar riffs are so dope and no one thought to think, “oh, that’s like heavy.” I guess it is a rock song. “Ready To Love” would be considered rock. Maybe not heavy rock or whatever. Maybe it’s just alternative rock at this point. We’ve blended genres so much like you were talking about that it gets a little blurry with trying to define what we create. At this point, we’re just making music that we love, and it’s resonating with people because they get it, you know?
“Get Back Up” was a song that you wrote for your mother and it’s about strength and resolve. Jumping off the feeling of that song, I feel like you’re at that point. where you’re at the message. Peach Club has given you new energy and freedom to do what you want. You’re seeing the fruits of the labor with the tour and everything. It’s cool to have that foreshadowing.
I think I can definitely see that. “Get Back Up” can resonate with anybody that’s going through some kind of trial or tribulation, you know? I think that we just like put in the work for so long and I’m so happy that it feels like it’s paying off now. It’s funny because like I said, people can give their own meaning to our songs. “Givin’ Up” isn’t even about love or anything.
I wrote that a while ago about the band because I was in such a place where I was unhappy with how things were going. This is before Peach Club. I was like maybe it just can’t be fixed at this time. Maybe I just have to accept what’s going on. I wrote that song about just leaving the band. Then I realized through writing that and starting to write Peach Club that I do have one left. Who knew that it would do with doing now? I’m thankful for that.
With “Get Back Up,” I do think that we’re in not necessarily a resurgence because we were definitely excelling past any place that the band has been before. So I think it’s just like, Maybe it just feels it’s our time, for lack of a better way to explain that, you know?
Almost all of this upcoming tour is sold out with the remaining three dates almost there. You are playing Peach Free front to back. It’s the first time the band has ever done something like this. Are you stoked? Are you a bit nervous?
I’m excited and also nervous because, for one, I think it’s so dope to be able to put this record out and have people want to see it front to back. That’s crazy to me. I’m so thankful. Also, we’re coming in with a very hefty set. It’s gonna be — it’s gonna be tiring. We’re coming in with 20 songs that because we’re not just playing Beach Club and then dipping. We’re playing a lot of songs. We’re adding “Ready to Love” on the setlist as well. So, while I’m excited, I also like have to be very focused because I know this is going to be a very draining tour.
