Dear Tracks
Spending a winter afternoon in the living room with Dear Tracks; press photo courtesy of the band.
When the world feels weird, cold, and uncertain we look to the dream-makers and music-makers for an aesthetic that exists as much outside of ourselves that speaks to the arts of heart that are an intrinsic part of our being. When it feels as if the despots of industry and political gatekeepers have the game rigged and the scales tipped against us; it is only natural to seek out the fellow minded vision-crafters that seek that similar sort of sacred and almost ineffable center of the mind, spirit, body, and being that we spend the bulk of our lives chasing. Repulsion from the states of our unions, the humdrum hierarchies that quantify everything like some sordid DFS obsessed set of stats & drafts have the wide-eyed & lionhearted seeking that sanctuary of freedom and elation and that sometimes exists only in the generosity shown in the inspirations of dreams themselves.
Few understand how to convey all this and more than Grand Rapids, Michigan’s Dear Tracks who continue to paint these feelings and inspirations through palettes and canvases and sound that are extracted and conveyed through the r.e.m. picture show cycles found from the arms of the soundest sleep. Following up our recent discussion on their single “All the Outs Are Free”; we have the honor and privilege of presenting the world debut of Dear Tracks’ title track “Soft Dreams” ahead of the EP’s February 26 release from Furious Hooves & Track and Field Records. Matt Messore, Victoria Ovenden, Jacob Juodawlkis, and Alex Militello deliver some of the most sincerest, honest, and endearing silks of sound stemmed from the most precious corners from the heart of the Midwest that the dream-poppers from both the east and west coast should be paying close attention to right now.
Michigan’s own dears—Dear Tracks.
While “Soft Dreams” is stitched and inspired from Dear Tracks’ own collective experiences and feelings; the cadences from the independent imprint catalogs of yesterday and today (Sarah Records, Flying Nun, One Little Indian, mid-to-late 80s Creation, Heavenly, Slumberland, et al.) shine forth through the audio textures. The burdens and weights of surround societies become as soft as lace with the young & restless at heart-headed mentality steers focuses and desires toward celestial heights. From the vocal delivery and overall arrangement of “Soft Dreams”; every uttered note, chord, key, tone, and percussive point is sewn neatly and beautifully in place that conveys a gestalt of nearly inexplicable euphoria that will leave the listeners reaching for flowery language that only attempts to approximate the lush beauty that abounds here. To learn more about the behind the scenes processes, we caught up again with Matt Messore to further understand the Dear Tracks aesthetic and recordings ethics.
Tell us more about that careful approaches of naturally developing parts and instrumentation into what you’ve described to us before about carrying “the melody in unison.”
Writing the songs for Soft Dreams was pieced together in segments. Each song roughly taking a few months to fully develop. Before recording for the EP, we had gotten comfortable with the songs from playing live and previously recording / demoing out. I guess every melody was layered by specific notes that we thought flowed together as one.
What is the key to allowing these kind of unified bodies of collective sound to come together naturally? Dear Tracks seems to make the process feel and sound so effortlessly.
I think it’s just trying to make it sound full by being as minimal as we can. I suppose with this method, it seems to balance out with the ideas and flows of our ideas and writing abilities.
I’m interested in hearing more about the concepts you have described to us before about embracing “peace into your life, dreams & reality” that exist behind these euphoric collages of melodies.
I try to write as sincere, honest, & accurate as I possibly can with what is on my mind or what’s is going to set me free from fact and fiction, and appreciating life for what it is. When crafting a song, I try to get lost into the melodies and follow up with a deep soundtrack to its elements.
Can you share any of the events from the past year or visions that have further contributed to the dream-like feels of Soft Dreams?
Through the summer up until early December of 2015, Alex & I pieced together a music video for “Soft Dreams”. A lot of the video features VHS footage from my childhood during 1993. We filmed the rest of the music video through a camcorder made in 1989, to keep the glitch-y VHS trails constant. I envisioned “Soft Dreams” as a personal approach to existing in a humble daydream.
What sorts of dreams in particular informed the title track, and how did that beautiful song become the centerpiece of the album?
When writing the song—”Soft Dreams”—I was reflecting a lot on my childhood. The bliss of being young and innocent, daydreaming without pain or loss. Just playing outside on a sunny day & being pure at heart. I felt the title Soft Dreams portrayed the best fitting name that was strong enough to represent the whole record.
Dear Tracks live.
You mentioned something about a coffee shop in Grand Rapid called Happy Cat Cafe where you can enjoy a caffeinated beverage with loving cats by your side. Has this cafe finally opened, and how has it affected your local communities?
We thought this Cat Cafe would have opened up by now but it seems that the organization hasn’t found a place to lease yet. This may just be an idea for Grand Rapids right now, but hoping one day this cafe idea actually comes together .
What has everyone been listening to, reading, watching, etc right now?
The Field Mice, Seinfeld, Twilight Zone.
Winter survival tips for all of us stuck in blizzards & related storms?
Stay indoors, wear a cozy sweater, snuggle with a kitty, & listen to some smooth tunes.
Dear Tracks’ new album Soft Dreams is available now via vinyl and cassette from Track and Field Records & Furious Hooves on multi-colored vinyl.
