Moxi & Loon Interview About “Pedal”Album Release
Released 1/24/23
Tell me about the process of making the album - what was the most exciting element to recording this project? What was the biggest challenge?
PEDAL was our first experience recording tracks with fine attention to detail. All of our previous songs were completed in one or two days with a very simplistic approach. The most exciting part was working with Jordan Andreen and the vintage tape machines at Big Fish. It was one thing to see Jordan’s expertise in production and engineering, but the best part was riding the same wavelength and just having fun with any idea that popped up between the three of us. The most challenging part was recording to tape. We typically sing and play like cavemen, which is great for a rowdy live show. But on tape the take needs to be microscopically ideal, and Jordan really pushed us above and beyond what we thought we were capable of doing.
Is there a theme or concept behind this album that you can share?
PEDAL’s tracks flow through a pretty wide spectrum of moods, from eerie to nostalgic, rocking to contemplative. But there is a unifying theme in the lyrics themselves. There’s a lot about overcoming fear and anxiety in the face of death, whether it’s a little death (psychedelic ego death, the end of relationship or self-transformation), or the big Death at the end of the road. PEDAL is an acronym, and the title track “PEDAL (Like a Dog)” translates to “Play Every Day And Lay (Like a Dog).” A lot of courage and resilience comes from staying present and playful like our canine friends.
How long have you been writing/recording this project?
PEDAL contains songs written over the span of a few years, from 2018 to 2022. They mostly floated around the ether as incomplete riffs, ideas, and lyrics until we brought them to the studio in the summer 2021. Until recording they were amoebas that changed shape every time we performed.
What is it like releasing music as an independent artist? What about the process of releasing music is exciting, what is challenging?
This album and its release taught us a lot about what it means to be a disciplined artist with a solid work ethic. We’ve never committed so much time, energy, and finances into a single project, and this is only the beginning of the learning curve. It’s exciting to watch our amoebas grow legs and wander out into the world. However, we really enjoy performing from an unhinged place of spontaneity. A challenge arises when it becomes easy to fall into the well-known patterns and expectations of finished songs.
What's the plan post-release - are you going to try and tour this summer? are you planning to play more shows? Record again soon? What's next :)
We launch a 16 day west coast tour the day after the PEDAL’s release. We’ve got another album-worth of amoebas ready to take the leap into the recording process. I think the main goal next time is to improve our efficiency and get them cooked and served more quickly. Finances are a speed bump when it comes to recording at a place like Big Fish. But with some luck this album’s success could feed into the next.
If you could push just one song (maybe both of you give your own answer?) from the album, what would it be? What song do you think deserves to be heard the most?
Jake: PEDAL’s third track “Wolfish” is my personal favorite. It stands out with a unique composition and psychedelic palette of sounds. The energy is explosive and the lyrical hooks are earworms. And like the title suggests, it’s got some teeth and a good howl!
Nick: Play the whole album! The whole thing deserves to be heard.
