Written by Gemma Marshall
Sounds & Scenarios are an alternative-emo band based out of Boston, Massachusetts. The pair just released a new track “When the Fame Goes to Die” on August 20th, and they aren’t anywhere close to slowing down.
We had the pleasure of sitting down with Tyler Chase and Avery Jones, sole members of the group to discuss both new and old music as well as the uniqueness of their duo.
Gemma Marshall: Start by introducing yourselves separately and then as a band. Who is Sounds & Scenarios?
Tyler Chase: Well my name is Tyler Chase, I sing and play guitar.
Avery Jones: And my name is Avery Jones, I play bass and do backing vocals.
TC: And together we make up Sounds & Scenarios!
GM: How has 2021 been treating you guys? Did you make any creative changes this year?
TC: I think the biggest challenge for us in 2021 has been the fact that we’ve both been apart because of the pandemic; I went up to Vermont to be with family and Avery stayed behind in Boston. But honestly, even with our separation, we’ve made everything work, especially when it comes to writing music.
AJ: The separation definitely made it difficult to write new music, but we found ways that worked for us. Our biggest struggle, though, was probably the remote recording and sending off stems hoping it all came together well at the end.
GM: Back in March of this year you released a single called “Split” which includes two songs. What was the inspiration behind this release?
TC: That would be our side of the split EP we did with The Silent Mile! You can find their side of the split on their Spotify and Apple Music pages as well.
AJ: We had been wanting to release a split with another band for a while; The Silent Mile are friends of ours that when it finally came time to record, they hit the ground running with us.
GM: To branch off from that, you released a new track called “When The Fame Goes To Die” on August 20th, what’s the meaning behind the song? Are there any connections between “Split” and this new release?
TC: We wrote “When the Fame Goes to Die” out of the frustration we had been feeling towards some people’s attitudes in the scene. We’ve noticed a lot of people, both we knew personally and knew online, kind of get into this mindset of getting high off their own hype, and trying to make everybody else feel inadequate or whatever.
AJ: It’s a look into a sad reality that a lot of people who find themselves with a lot of fame and popularity, and how there's more layers to them than their façade shows.
TC: Yeah honestly we just said “screw it” and put that behavior on blast, as kind of like a mirror to show everybody the ugliness in their character.
AJ: A crack in their mask if you would (laughs).
GM: You’ve been a band for around 4 years now. How do you feel you’ve grown artistically since your first release “Technicolor” to your newest release?
TC: I’ll take the reins on this one Avery; I’m sorry, you know I love you (laughs). So, I started Sounds & Scenarios as my solo project back in 2015, I released a couple records just by myself; which are now gone from the Internet, and for good reason: they weren’t good (laughs). Then in 2017, I started working on an EP called Things I Need to Leave Behind, which featured the aforementioned lead single “Technicolor.”
That EP ended up being the last release Sounds & Scenarios put out as a solo project before transitioning into a full band. Looking back on a track like “Technicolor,” or even some of the deeper cuts like “No Title,” you really can see the foundation of what this band was trying to be, even though at the time it was just me playing around on Logic Pro.
The personal songwriting, the intricate musicianship and arrangement, the overall sound; all of the pieces of the puzzle were there, just not tapped into as much as they are now. Comparing “Technicolor” to something like “When the Fame Goes to Die,” or hell even an older cut like “Seattle” or “Better Off Without You,” it’s still the same Sounds & Scenarios as it was back then, but we’ve become more confident in taking our work different places.
GM: What sets you guys apart from other artists? What can people expect from your music that you feel is unique to just you?
AJ: We're here to make music that speaks to us as humans, and is basically straight out of our own therapy sessions. I know for myself, writing lyrics helps me connect with myself and release many different emotions.
Our sound, though, is a mix of old school pop punk with the spices of new age pop rock, bringing a little something for everyone.
TC: Ditto with everything he just said. I think in general, too, despite what our music suggests, we always make sure our shows are a positive place for people; we always want to make sure everyone feels safe and welcome.
The mantra I always say is “leave your worries at the door, and just be here in the moment for the next 30 minutes.” That’s how Sounds has always operated, and always will be. Yeah we take our music seriously, but our shows feel more like a fun place to take out all your energy.
GM: Do you have any plans for more music or possibly any shows for the rest of 2021? If so, tell us a little about that.
TC: Right now, we’ve got a lot of stuff in the works, but we’re not ready to announce it yet. What we will say is our first show back from the COVID lockdown is on October 21st and it’ll be at Sammy’s Patio in Revere, MA. It’s gonna be a really good time, and we hope to see everybody there.
To keep an eye on what Sounds & Scenarios are up to in the future, make sure to follow their Twitter @soundsscenarios and check out their new single “When the Fame Goes to Die” available on all streaming platforms!