Some time ago in a bedroom somewhere in Minnesota Sam McAllister fancied himself as a film scorer, concocting instrumental tracks for movies that didn’t actually exist, perhaps thinking they might materialize if the right melody was written. “But really it was just me being a nerd and kind of experimenting with lots of ideas and strange effects.” (Sam McAllister)
The same spirit of exploration and innocent toying with sounds that began McAllister’s music career is still present in his now fully realized musical endeavor, Project Film. Joined by high school friend Megan Frestedt, McAllister has graduated from bedroom tracks in his parent’s house to being a bona fide hit maker as the two sit on the cusp of their debut record’s release. Making its physical appearance to the public through their label Tandem Shop Records tomorrow, November 9th, Chicago has already garnered some love from blogs Loud Loop Press and Windy City Rock, in addition to being featured on CHIRP Radio- a song from the record even made it into one of CHIRP D.J’s top 5 this past week. Its all too appropriate that the resident critics of the record’s namesake approve, even more so because Chicago embodies a genre so crucial to the development of current music scenes like the one booming here in the Second City. Slightly fuzzy, full of ba-duh’s, Chicago has a twee pop feel akin to Tullycraft and even hints of Boy Least Likely To but is combined with some of the lo-fi underproduction recognized in The Promise Ring and early day demos of The Get Up Kids. Basically, Frestedt and McAllister are paying homage to something that has not quite been forgotten, but certainly has been put into storage as new synth-y, digital sounds swallows songs of a more simple time for indie rock.
Hipster-innocent titles such as “Cool Kids” and “Art School” combine throngs of buzzy beats with clinking electric guitar and vocals that are nearly spoken. McAllister reminds us of what Ben Gibbard sounded like on You Can Play These Songs with Chords, while Frestedt has a plain but pretty voice not unlike Melissa from our much loved Canadians Animal Names- to best sum it up, the voices of Project Film sound like a couple kids from the neighborhood having fun and making music together, and that’s just what these two are.
Favorite tracks include “Ink”, which differs greatly, yet not at all from the other songs of Chicago. An austere instrumental track that delivers a beautifully simple sense of peacefulness, “Ink” also emotes this strange feeling that teeters on the line of happiness and sadness. Its not hard to imagine it in the way McAllister first wrote songs, as the soundtrack to some movie scene where a character is contemplatively walking alone, but at the same time its delicately repeating melody could just as easily set the mood for a love scene. While its layout is a little different than the rest of the record, the cohesion needed to justify its inclusion exists in its use of piano, soft percussion, and ambient guitar.
In a similar way songs “Minneapolis”, “Kapture”, and “Sun” stray from the tinny tempo of Chicago’s other tracks, opting instead for an amicable acoustic sound, occasionally including light piano and/or hi-hat. We have to give Project Film a little extra praise for their choice of placement for these songs, as they are expertly spaced through the record, acting as sequential markers for the beginning, middle, and end of Chicago.
In its entirety Chicago is a pleasant edition to the music world. McAllister and Frestedt have done a fine job keeping it simple without being boring, familiar without seeming like a carbon copy, and Project Film is a band we are pleased to usher in to the Chicago music scene.
Sam McAllister and Megan Frestedt talked with Reviewsic about their upcoming record, the things that inspire their sound, and who, when given the opportunity, they would love to take along on their ‘dream tour’.
Reviewsic: What are your top three musical influences?
Sam: It’s kind of hard to pick a top three, as they’ve really kind of changed over the course of making this record. I think when an artist or band is making their first record, it’s kind of like throwing paint at a canvas – you just have all these ideas and you’re trying to sort through them and just make something out of it. You don’t have any previous work to compare it to. What you’re listening to at the time can really have an effect on your work. With that said, when I was first in the beginning stages of writing this record, I was listening to a lot of Death Cab and Explosions In The Sky. When I was really writing the core of the record, I was completely obsessed with Wilco, Andrew Bird, and R.E.M. I was also listening to a bunch of M. Ward in there.
Megan: For me, since I’m not a writer, they’re more stylistic influences. I really love old jazz singers like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday and the strong female voices on Broadway like La Chanze and Sutton Foster. Also that French girl in the original Broadway cast of Les Miserables is amazing. I used to do a lot of musical theatre so that’s where I cut my teeth on singing and that’s where I take a lot of influence from. Other than that I love good folk-country female back-ups like Emmylou Harris on the Bright Eyes records.
Reviewsic: Sting, among others, once released his lyrics on their own as poetry. Do you think that’s something you would ever do/would your lyrics hold up in that separate format?
Sam: I actually just typed up all the lyrics, kind of each song in the style of a poem, because someone wanted to read them. They just looked depressing. Maybe I’ll put out a book of depressing poetry when I’m 65.
Megan: I’m glad I don’t have to answer that question. Ha. But I think some of Sam’s lyrics would be really great poetry, like the words to “Sound Sleepers”. “Cool Kids” would be especially funny.
Reviewsic: What are the last three albums or bands you listened to?
Sam: Right now, I’m really into the new Aloe Blacc record, called Good Things. It’s absolutely incredible and everyone should go buy it. Other than that, I’ve been listening to Jeremy Messersmith’s last record a lot, as well as the latest Dosh record. Yay Minnesota.
Megan: Well, my computer just crashed, so I’m listening to only new music because I haven’t had time to get all the music off my hard drive. Last weekend I got the new Belle and Sebastian record, which is great. I’m always listening to a lot of Prince and the other day a coffee shop played the whole Purple Rain soundtrack to my delight, so I listened to that. Literally right before this I was listening to Fleetwood Mac’s live album The Dance. I went through a huge Fleetwood Mac stage this summer, when I was listening to that album almost every day.
Reviewsic: If you could work with one person in the music industry (musician, label, producer etc), who would it be and why?
Sam: I’m trying to get Nigel Godrich to produce the next Project Film record. But he’s not answering my emails.
Megan: Label-wise, I think we were made for Barsuk.
Reviewsic: What is the most memorable concert you’ve ever attended?
Sam: When I was in 10th grade, I saw Paul McCartney at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. It was absolutely mind blowing even though I was so far from the stage I could practically touch the ceiling of the Xcel Center. But it was perfect timing, because I was going through a huge Beatles phase and it was basically the only thing I listened to. And to be in the same room as a Beatle was just so surreal. He was also touring to support his 2005 album Chaos And Creation In The Backyard which was probably his strongest album since Band On The Run. So that was just a bonus.
Megan: I knew he was going to say that. This is hard for me to answer. I got to see Conor Oberst at Metro and I’d loved him for years, so to see him in such a small space was pretty stellar. In high school, some friends and I drove 16 hours to see the All-American Rejects at a rodeo in Colorado. And then the band ended up staying in our hotel. So that was memorable.
Reviewsic: Who are three of your favorite local bands?
Sam: Cameron McGill & What Army is, hands down, one of the best local bands around right now. I’m also really into this band called the Dirty Diamonds. And I mean, obviously Wilco. I’m a big Tweedy fan.
Megan: I feel obliged to say our labelmates Mr. Bear and Levels, but outside of them I really like In Tall Buildings, Nelken, and Maps and Atlases.
Reviewsic: If you could book a tour with any 3 bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Sam: Death Cab, R.E.M., and Tegan & Sara. They’re three of my favorite bands, and I think we’d work well on the bill with all three.
Megan: After hearing Sam’s answers, Tegan & Sara hardcore, yes. I’d add Telekinesis and Jeremy Messersmith, just because they’re both super nice and super good.
Reviewsic: Tell us about Chicago - Did you enter the studio with a specific intent or concept? What was the production of this album like? What do you hope listeners take away from this record?
Sam: Chicago came about in a really sort of natural way. It was all recorded in my studio apartment, except the drums, which I recorded back home in Minnesota. I never really had any specific intent when writing the record, but all the songs definitely deal with everything that comes with moving away from home to a completely new city, thus the title. The production of the record was mostly me trying out a bunch of things and then just getting rid of what wasn’t necessary. About half of the record was written before I recorded it, and the other half was composed as I recorded it, and I think that made for some interesting results. I’m not really sure what I want people to take away from it. I guess I just hope they like it, but if they don’t, that’s fine too.
Megan: Production-wise for my stuff, Sam would record pretty much all the parts and then bring the songs to me individually. I’d listen to one, tell him how much I loved it, and he’d tell me what kind of female vocals he wanted. Sometimes we’d get creative and throw in some extra harmonies. Like in “Art School,” the chorus has three of my vocal recordings all at once.
Reviewsic: What are some of your favorite cities and/or venues to play?
Sam: Well, we’ve only played in Chicago and at our respective schools, so that’s also kind of hard to answer. But I can’t wait to have answers to this question! I can tell you that I really hope to play the Bowery Ballroom in New York someday. I also love seeing shows at First Avenue in Minneapolis. I’d love to play there.
Megan: I know one of the first places we want to hit on the road is the west coast Portland/Seattle area and I really want to get to Nashville.
Reviewsic: What are the best and worst music moments so far in your career?
Sam: Worst moment. At our first show ever at Columbia College, we were doing a mini acoustic set and we played a song I had literally just finished writing that afternoon (which is “Cool Kids” on the album) and we completely just forgot the second verse. We stopped the song, and just sat there thinking about what the words were to the second verse. Meanwhile, the audience is throwing out ideas about what the verse could possibly be about. So embarrassing. We ended up remembering it, and finished the song. And I guess it was pretty humorous, but still, so awkward. Best moment. Our album is coming out on November 9th! It’s kind of a prospective best moment.
Megan: Best: when we forgot the words to the second verse of Cool Kids in front of a million Columbia students. Worst: when we forgot the words to the second verse of Cool Kids in front of a million Columbia students.
Reviewsic: What are a few items essential to your “tour survival kit”?
Sam: We haven’t done a real tour yet! But we definitely hope to in the future, and I’m pretty confident it’ll happen within the next year. But, for when we do go on tour — I’d bring a copy of the Sam Jones documentary about Wilco’s album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot called I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, so I can watch it over and over again like I do at home (slight addiction, yet, so inspiring). I also may or may not be kind of addicted to coffee, and about a year ago I acquired this french press that’s actually meant as a camping french press (it’s straight up made by Coleman and everything), so I’d totally bring that to have some amazing coffee even on the road. Lastly, I’d bring a copy of Death Cab’s We Have The Facts And We’re Voting Yes, it’s always within reach.
Megan: He would want to bring a French press. So spoiled. I plan to bring earplugs, some books, and some maps. And probably a box or two of wheat thins.
Reviewsic: What are your plans for music in the next year?
Sam: We’re planning to perform more frequently in the coming months around Chicago, and hopefully tour within the next year. I’ve also been writing new material recently, so hopefully that starts to take shape. We’ll see!
Megan: Play the heck out of Chicago. Tour. Hopefully record some new stuff.
Tags: Album Review, Chicago, DIY, Interview, Local Music, New Music, New Release, Video
Hey, Megan, that was great. I feel like I have been watching a budding music artist couple. Hope the success keeps growing day by day!!