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All photo credits: Guadalupe Bustos
Many of you may be familiar with him as a touring member with The Maine over the past years, but Adam Simons started his solo musical project, Wanderer, in 2016. Following his "CITY" and "SKYLINE" EPs, Simons just released Wanderer's debut album, "Songs For The Night," a collection of beautiful songs full of soothing vocals. I got the chance to talk with Simons about the amazing album!
Listen to "Songs For The Night" here!:
I like how your album expresses its title of “Songs For The Night” because all the songs are perfect for those late night drives and they have relaxing vibes. How did you come up with this theme – did you plan it all out before producing the songs or did it come together during your production process?
It was definitely something I wanted to embody with the record, and the name just came to me super easily. It felt like it was always there and was always supposed to be called that. My first two EP's that came before, "CITY" and "SKYLINE," kind of set the scene for this album. I set out then to create a world and a specific feeling to the music based around those names, and it just evolved perfectly into setting up this first statement for me. It embodies everything I've done so far as Wanderer, and is my chapter one.
What inspired your artistic aesthetic of sunset/night colors through your visuals you post and your cover artwork?
It's something I've always loved. From seeing things like that on Tumblr years ago to the neon-era 1980s sensibility that my music has, it just felt like the music sounded like that to me. I saw images like that in the sounds I was making.
You’ve released two EPs following up to the album. How do you think you’ve grown as an artist since your first EP and what are some things you’ve learned throughout your creative process?
I feel almost totally different now than when I started. Just by writing and recording songs you learn more what you like and what you don't, who you want to be and who you don't. I think an extreme attention to detail and texture has become something I've learned to value and strive to achieve with my later stuff. As a guitarist, singer, and producer I also feel like I have improved more and grown more into myself now than ever.
“Cerulean” is the only instrumental track off of the album – Did you want this to serve as a transition and invoke a certain feeling/emotion for the listener as they listen to the album in order?
Yes, exactly. It came about during the writing process and I loved the feeling of it, but it didn't quite feel like something I could sing over. It has this trance-like drone to the whole thing that I think allows you to focus more on all the layering guitar and synth coming in and out, which tells its own story. “Cerulean” comes at the later portion of the album, right before the last two tracks. All three of those songs together were crafted very closely together in time, and I think blend nicely together. I felt like it was a "setting of the tone" to the end of the album - a more introspective and ethereal piece in itself.
What song is your favorite off of “Songs For The Night” and why?
This is a tough one for me. "Driving" was completely re-recorded, so it now feels more like I wanted it to feel years ago. "Know Your Heart" was one of the singles of the album and is one I'm so excited to debut live. "The Dark" holds a special place in my heart, and reminds me of the times when I felt lost like that, and that the night doesn't always have to feel that way anymore. I think it's just a very understated, subtle piece, and I like that.
When Wanderer plays live shows, you have a full band rather than just performing solo – What made you want to have a full band and how do you hope to affect the audience’s experience of watching your shows?
I always knew it needed to be a band live. These songs are full of big sounds - drums, and multiple guitars, synths, etc... They need to be played that way I think to truly capture the feeling. I love playing solo, but the songs for me are always made to be played live full band. I want the live shows to be a transformative thing - to take you out of your life and anything tough or stressful for that 30-60 minutes, to show you something you can feel, and to remind you that you aren't alone in any of it.
What are some goals you want to achieve this year through Wanderer?
Aside from putting out this album - which has been a huge goal, I want to play a lot of live shows and tour with my band. I want to put out a lot more music than just this album too, and I want to reach more and more people through Wanderer. I want to grow the amazing family of fans and supporters that have made this record possible, and give every one of them more art to connect with and more of myself, because I know we all feel the same things and want to feel understood, just like I do.
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