Photo by Rob Loud
Nashville indie rock quintet Moon Taxi returns this week with their third album, Mountains Beaches Cities, which sees the band expanding into new “pop” territory.
Speaking with Variance, Keyboardist Wes Bailey said the band really wanted to create “catchy, memorable songs” this time around. “I don’t mean, cheesy, crappy pop,” he explained. “But I think when we looked at some of the bands we look up to and where we wanted to be ourselves, there was something missing. We want songs that resonate with people, songs that are memorable.”
Perhaps making it easier to determine which material would stick, the band tested songs out on the road over the past year, including stops at Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo last summer. “It helps when you can perfect the songs live and see if fans grab onto them. Ultimately, those songs are going to be performed on the road, so if you know it works live, it’s probably worthy of being on the actual album.”
The new record, which was co-produced by Bailey and guitarist Spencer Thomson and largely recorded at the latter’s apartment, took only a few weeks to record. But “don’t be fooled by the short amount of time it took to record the album,” Bailey warned. “A lot went into it. We were able to record it efficiently and I think we were very smart about it, but it wasn’t thrown together by any means.”
Formed back in 2006, the band quickly built a devoted fanbase, but now mainstream audiences are starting to take notice, with song placement in television commercials and shows like ABC’s Nashville. It’s been a long time coming, but Bailey believes the band is ready.
“We’ve played the bars, we’ve played venues where no one cared,” he recalls. “I remember when the Nashville episode aired. We sat down and watched it, it was great. It’s unreal, but at the same time, it’s very exciting. This is what we want, and I don’t think there’s any shame in admitting it. I really believe this new album pushes us forward as a band, and I’m looking forward to the future.”
Moon Taxi’s fall tour starts Sept. 24 in Columbus, Ohio, with plans to be on the road through next summer. Mountains Beaches Cities is available now via 12th South Records/BMG.
Watch the video below for "The New Black":
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