Slow Pulp’s cleverness, as a nuanced rock band, is in being subtle and relatable as well as, sometimes in the same song, bold and brash. Originally from Wisconsin but now based in Chicago, the four-piece, fronted by vocalist and guitarist Emily Massey, are well-established in the US but making tentative early steps post-Covid in Europe.
With a third show in Dublin on the horizon, latest record ‘Yard’ will provide the meat of their set, its roots taken from a lifetime of writing music together, as Massey explains.
“My bandmates Alex, Teddy and Henry have known each other and been making music together since grade school. We all grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, but I didn’t meet them ‘till we were in college,” she says. “When we started playing music together it felt like I had known them my whole life in some strange way. I feel like our chemistry really comes out the most within the live show. A smile or a glance at one of my bandmates on stage always reminds me of how lucky we are to be best friends doing this thing together.”
“We all write a lot individually. Which I think was a process we just naturally landed on. When we started as a band Alex, who writes and plays bass, was living in another city so we sent stuff back and forth online to each other to write. I found it really helpful to work out things on my own. To really take the time to sit and figure it out.”
“The title of Yard came from a song that our guitarist Henry sent to me. It started as a guitar chord progression that he had written that I later took and wrote lyrics and a melody to. When we were trying to figure out a title for the record we felt like the song encapsulated a certain energy that related to the emotional centre of the record, and we decided to name the album after it.”
“When I’m writing a melody for a song, I sing kind of nonsense off the cuff words that are sort of out of my control. It’s like my subconscious coming out or something. But it almost always informs what the song is going to be about. Usually one line sticks out. In the song ‘Slugs’, for example, I kept singing “you’re a summer hit” and I liked the idea of making a sweet love song have this kind of ominous undertone, by making the melody have this minor tone. I felt it evoked the kind of internal fear or uncertainty of falling in love.”
The road to Europe has been a slow one for Slow Pulp. “When we released our first record in 2020 we were slated to do our first headlining tour in Europe, which we were very excited for!,” Massey recalls. “Obviously we didn’t get to make that happen. We are so lucky that we’ve been able to do two tours within a year in Europe to kind of make up for lost time. It is very expensive to come over and make it all happen.”
“It has definitely not been a lucrative situation for us yet over here. But it has been so special to get to connect with people who listen to our music across the world.”
“Our show at workman’s club last fall was one of if not our favourite show of the European tour. Everyone who came out to the gig had the best energy. We felt so much support and kindness! We can’t wait to come back.”
