© Lucy Sandler / Sub Pop
In a candid two-part interview with Stephen 'Steps' Lowe on Today Radio's show The LunchBox, he touches base, or bass, with Pat Morrissey and Jess Corazza of the amazing Ill Peach about their energetic debut album 'This is Not An Exit'.
With their genre of music being sometimes described as wonky pop, Jess believes that people are always trying to find a label to put on them. This is the debut album for the California-dwelling duo, a voyage of exploration as well as honouring a chaotic period in their lives.
The album was a labour of love, being two years in the making for the group, who have wide experience in the music industry as former producers and songwriters.
“It has kinda gone through phases. At first it was grit pop then it was alt rock. We like to play with the genre-less rule a little bit more.”
“I think we are getting a lot of different flavours in there,” Pat adds. “And I think when people are trying to get to know a new band the first thing is they need to identify the genre.”
So in terms of their album title, if it is not an exit — then is it an entrance?
“I think an entrance is a great way to look at it. The title really reflects not giving up, so I guess it is about creating this open-door policy for whatever is to come,” says Jess.
© Sub Pop / Michael Delaney
Listen to the first half of Stephen 'Steps' Lowe's two-part interview with Ill Peach on RTL Play or through the player below:
"If you eliminate all outside noise ... you are probably going to be the most authentic version of yourself.”
The album reflects a chaotic period in their lives and staying true to their feeling, not watering them down is what informs the work. The sentiment of sitting with your feelings and not running away is what informed the making of the album, Pat explains.
While comparisons to her all-time idol Karen Owens happen all the time, Jess is clear that she doesn’t want to copy her artistry but rather is happy for the subconscious influence to shine through. Hailing boredom as a driving force in the creative process, Pat believes what can arise during periods of idleness is precious.
“That’s when you can really be your most imaginative self. If you eliminate all outside noise and all you are left with is what’s inside of you then you are probably going to be the most authentic version of yourself.”
"We're always wearing fifty hats to stay afloat in this industry, but I think it's a fun game at the end of the day"
In the second half of Stephen's interview with Pat and Jess, they discuss the prolific nature of Rihanna writing camps ("there are so, so many") — and their experiences pitching songs for other artists, before ultimately deciding to take their unique sound into their own hands.
They discuss the impact of the pandemic on their creativity and divulge the ways this 'pause' abated the pressure of newfound success; it allowed them to find themselves as artists without "so much ... noise built up around them."
In the end, there's a good chance Stephen's helped pave the way to bring this fantastic and, yes, eclectic duo to Luxembourg. They're fans of radio, and the "power of curation and the DJ" and it's safe to say that, here at Today Radio, we're pretty big fans of them as well.
To hear the conversation continue tune in to the second half of the interview on RTL Play or through the player below:
