The world needs more bands like HARBOUR, whose soulful sound underscores heartfelt lyrics. Their music covers a range of topics from heartbreak to love to feeling lost during the dark days of the pandemic while blending in a pop-rock vibe. With previous hit singles like Float, HARBOUR has proven that they are one of the most cohesive sounding bands out there by artfully incorporating exciting bridges, belt-y choruses, and soothing background instruments.
The band itself has come together to release To Chase My Dreams, Or To Just Lie Down, an album following their lives during COVID and after. It's a reflection of how the world continues turning even when things seem bleak, and it's an album we can all relate to. Singles like "Sleepyhead" and "Everything's Fine" show just how daunting life seems to us during a time of change and discomfort, and how we all are just trying to get back to feeling some sense of normalcy.
The album stays true to HARBOUR's classic, soulful sound while taking the band into new, vulnerable places vocally and lyrically. They have an inane ability to put the most complicated of feelings into words while evoking deep-seeded emotion in their melodies and instruments. You can listen to it here:
Ryan Green (guitar/vocals), Jarett Lewis (guitar), Devon Turner (guitar), Walker Atkinson (bass), and Ryan Sulken (drums) are back with an introspective album that’s worth the listen. Popdust spoke with lead singer Ryan Green, who gave us insight on creating To Chase My Dreams, Or To Just Lie Down, and what's next for the band!
All answered by Ryan Green, lead vocalist of HARBOUR.
Your songs often have great melodies with even catchier, soulful lyrics. Love songs like your previous “Float” or even thoughts on life post-pandemic with your single “Sleepyhead”...what’s your writing process like when sitting down to create a track?
A: The writing process varies from song to song, but more often than not it starts with a chord progression +vocal melody, and the lyrics come later.
Your album, To Chase My Dreams, Or To Just Lie Down, is a conglomerate of your life during the pandemic…something fans and new listeners alike can relate to. What was the hardest part about putting this album, and your thoughts, together?
A: I think the hardest part about putting this album together was just the uncertainty of everything happening at that time. We had big plans for 2020, and of course everything was halted, which I think a lot of people can relate to; but feeling like our career was put on hold for an indefinite amount of time made it hard to stay motivated. We wrote a lot of music without knowing if it was ever going to be heard. Once we started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and it looked like things were finally picking up again, that's when the album really began to come together.
If you had to pick your top three songs from To Chase My Dreams, Or To Just Lie Down, what would they be and why?
A: I can’t speak for everyone in the band because I’m sure there'd be 5 different answers, but my personal 3 favorites are probably "Sleepyhead", "Fish Tank", and "I’ve Only Started Running"; although "Everything’s Fine" is definitely my favorite song to play live right now. But those 3 in particular are very honest, and I think they came together quickly for that reason.
You toured twice in 2022 and have more live performances on the way…what’s your favorite part about performing live?
A: We actually toured 4 times last year and just finished up our first tour of 2023. Playing live is the best part about what we do. Making music is something that we all feel like we have to continue doing, even if nobody ever hears it; but it’s when we tour the country and play these songs live that we really get to connect with the audience and see how these songs resonate with people in ways that we never expected. It’s incredibly rewarding and I want to just tour forever!
What is currently inspiring your music?
A: Again, each song is different, but at the moment I feel like the music we’re working on is somewhat of a continuation of the album we just released. We’re not really aiming for anything in particular, aside from keeping it real, I guess.
You’ve already been insanely busy this past year, but what’s next in 2023?
A: Our goal for 2023 is just to continue touring as much as possible. We didn’t get to tour the Thoughts On Letting Go album due to COVID, so we’re very excited to get to play the music from our new album around the country!
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