Exploring the Musical Evolution: An In-Depth Conversation with Rising Indie Pop-Rock Sensation, Evil Sweet.
In the thriving indie music scene of Long Island, New York, Evil Sweet emerges as a dynamic force, captivating listeners with their polished pop-rock sound. Influenced by a diverse range of musical styles, the band has seamlessly blended elements of alternative rock, hip-hop, and electronic music, resulting in a refined sonic palette that sets them apart.
Their latest single, “Do You Understand?” serves as a testament to Evil Sweet’s artistic growth and evolution. The track showcases their ability to craft infectious hooks, buoyant synths, and heartfelt lyrics, creating an immersive musical experience.
Despite facing challenges during the recording process, including lineup changes and the impact of the global pandemic, Evil Sweet’s resilience shines through, allowing them to overcome obstacles and deliver a captivating song.
As we delve into our chat with Evil Sweet, we explore their journey as musicians, their collaborations with producer Nicholas Starrantino, and their upcoming music releases. Join us as we uncover the inspirations, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped Evil Sweet’s sound, paving the way for an exciting future in the indie pop-rock landscape.
Happy: What are you up to today?
Evil Sweet: Today the band has practice to prepare for some upcoming shows and content plans. Sundays tend to be the days we get a lot done for the band.
Happy: Tell us about where you are from? What’s the music scene like in your neck of the woods?
Evil Sweet: We’re from Long Island, New York, which is a great spot for music! We’re really close to Brooklyn and New York City, which have fantastic indie artists among many other genres, and on Long Island there’s lots of really great songwriters and a lively open mic scene, which is where we got started.
Happy: Describe an average day?
Evil Sweet: We all have different things to do each day, but always involves some combination of working and making music. Zach and JT are music teachers, which keeps music at the forefront of our days even when not doing stuff for the band. Most days, Zach and Scotty meet up to hash out song ideas, even if they come back with nothing.
Happy: What about your ultimate day?
Evil Sweet: We love performing, so our ultimate day would have to involve a legendary show, maybe an album release show followed by hanging out all of our friends and fans.
Happy: What did you listen to growing up that fuelled your passion for music?
Evil Sweet: There’s definitely a wide range of influences in Evil Sweet and we all come from slightly different backgrounds. Scotty grew up with a huge ear for pop, while at the same time his dad exposed him to older greats like joy division, the English beat, and Pink Floyd. Zach grew up worshiping the Beatles and classic rock, later moving towards hiphop and indie rock.
Happy: “Do You Understand?” has been a long time in the making, with a two-year journey from recording to release. How has this extended process influenced the final version of the song?
Evil Sweet: Well for one, the drums are different than the original recording. We had a change of band members as our drummer and bass player moved on to other projects closer to them. Our amazing producer filled in on drums, giving the song flavors of the Queen Victoria EP, which was recorded by just Zach, Scotty, and their producer Nicholas Starrantino.
The pandemic played a role as well, giving the song a bit of an identity crises. It was originally a song about faith, but I think Covid-19 caused a lot of people to question theirs. We eventually decided that a more joyful lens tied in those themes of faith while being more applicable to our current mindset.
Happy: Zach Castro and Scotty O’Brien-Curcie had a vision for “Do You Understand?” as the debut of their polished pop-rock sound. How does this track differ from their previous releases, and how does it showcase the bands musical evolution?
Evil Sweet: The beginning of Evil Sweet started as a blend of alternative rock and hiphop with a darker tone, largely inspired by the Arctic Monkeys album “A.M.” combined with Zach’s rapping. Over time our influences changed towards lighter indie pop, listening to bands like Peach Pit and Phoenix, and we started infusing synths more electronic sounds, and overall happier moods.
Happy: The recording process for “Do You Understand?” faced numerous obstacles, including changes in band members and the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. How did these hurdles impact the song’s production, and how did the band overcome them?
Evil Sweet: As mentioned, the development of this song had some frustration, however we feel it fits well into the song’s story. There were many times where we planned and then questioned the release date, artwork theme, and rollout style, but we always loved this song and knew it needed to be released. While there was some frustration, we feel like it all fell into place in exactly the right way.
Happy: “Do You Understand?” is said to be thematically distinct from Evil Sweet’s recent EP, “Queen Victoria.” Can you delve into the themes explored in this single and how they differ from the overarching theme of the EP?
Evil Sweet: We definitely consider the Queen Victoria EP it’s own era in our music. We kinda set out to tell a story with those songs, each one being about a different shade of love. We really wanted to dive into all the ups and downs of a relationship based on experiences we’ve had in our own.
“Do You Understand?” covers themes of faith, optimism, and joy, which are relatable but broad topics. The EP narrows in on the theme of love but tries to pick apart it’s layers.
Happy: Producer Nicholas Starrantino played a significant role in the creation of “Do You Understand?” How did his collaboration with Evil Sweet shape the song’s final outcome, and what unique elements did he bring to the recording process?
Evil Sweet: Nick is amazing at his job for so many reasons, but mostly his ability to tap in to our vision and enhance it in ways that feel true to the song and our inspirations. His most tangible contribution to the song is for sure his drumming and keyboard parts he laid down. On the more subtle side, he is always nudging little things in the right direction—like making the chorus guitar part fit better with the groove we’re going for, or suggesting tweaks to certain lyrics. His input really helps take the songs to the next level.
Happy: As a debut studio experience, “Do You Understand?” kick-started a fruitful working relationship and friendship between Evil Sweet and producer Nicholas Starrantino. How did this collaboration impact the band’s growth and influence their subsequent releases?
Evil Sweet: Outside of the musical aspect, he’s really helped us grow our band and team in other ways. Early on he introduced us to Bri Martinsen, a talented musician and graphic designer, who designed the cover art to “Do You Understand?” and the Queen Victoria EP. Nick also put us in touch with our current PR Manager, who’s done wonders helping us get on playlists and other press outlets.
Our collaboration with Nick had a huge hand in shaping this song, but every song we’ve recorded with him has been unique and have gone in directions we haven’t always expected. The recent EP flirted a lot with synths and electronic sounds, really all to do with us messing around with Nick in the studio.
We loved using the vocoder, synths, and arpeggiators and finding creative ways to layer them in to our sound, and our unreleased music we’ve been recording with him does the same thing but in a different direction.
Happy: Looking ahead, Evil Sweet is preparing to release new music throughout 2023. Can you give us any hints about what listeners can expect from the band in terms of musical direction and the themes they will explore?
Evil Sweet: Well we’re always thinking about the next thing, and are actually in the process of recording our next project with Nick. We can’t give too many hints… but one thing we can say is that if you look at our discography we always tend to go back and forth between lighter and darker tones between every project. The next songs are definitely a switch in that regard.
Happy: Lastly, what makes you Happy?
Evil Sweet: Writing music and sharing it with people. Feeling someone connect with you through your song, recorded or live, is the best part of it all.
