Having already established themselves as one of the more explorative names on the scene in recent years, Tennessee-based outfit Lenox Hills are back once again to deliver their eagerly-awaited new EP 'Staring At The Sun'.
Featuring the previously shared gems 'Lights Off', 'Kalamazoo' and 'Fever Dream', this new five-track collection makes for a dazzling return to form for them. Filled with broad and euphoric textures from start to finish, 'Staring At The Sun' continues their rise as one of the more impactful names doing the rounds right now.
So with the new EP available to stream now, we sat down with lead vocalist Luke Mullin to find out more about his origins and what has been inspiring him most over the years.
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What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
The first instrument I fell in love with was actually bass. I remember being in a band in high school with my brother Packy (our lead guitarist) and our friend Charlie. Everyone knew how to play an instrument except me, so they handed me a bass. I wasn’t very into it at first, but as I started listening to “cooler music”, I started to really appreciate what bass brings to the table. Kings of Leon was a big band for me then and I just started learning all their bassline as they are super melodic and interesting. Then I started learning to play Radiohead songs. That’s essentially how I learned to play the bass. I went from there to getting a loop pedal so I could record parts over one another and write songs on bass. It was at that point, when I was a senior in high school, I decided to just learn to play guitar so I could dig deeper into song writing. The rest is history.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Lucky for us our dad had great music taste he bestowed upon us. It was always Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed, etc. My personal favourite was Bruce Springsteen. He was our dad’s favourite too. It’s still very nostalgic for me every time I listen to him. It takes me right back to being a kid. Crazy Frog also gets an honourable mention.
What was the first album you remember owning?
So, when we were growing up it was more buying an album on iTunes rather than owning a vinyl record. Not as cool I reckon, but the first album I ever bought on iTunes was ‘Viva La Vida’ by Coldplay. I was in 3rd or 4th grade and I saw the famous commercial for it on TV and thought that was the coolest song ever. Still love that record today. First vinyl record I ever owned was Pink Moon by Nick Drake. I was in my twenties by then, so my music taste was a little more refined.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
There are so many. “Do I Wanna Know” by Arctic Monkeys is one I think about a lot. Everything about it is just so cool. It’s a very simple song but it carries so much weight and emotion at the same time. Those typically tend to be the best songs in my opinion.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Not really to be honest. Mainly just dim the lights, light some candles and maybe draw a bath. I’m just kidding, but in all honesty, as long as Packy is there we can work in any setting. We write almost everything together as far as lyrics and arrangements go, usually in my room at my house. Once we have a good idea of where it’s going, we’ll bring the rest of the guys in and start playing it as a band to flesh it out more before taking it to our producer.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Fontaines D.C. and Wunderhorse are our favourites at the moment. Very hard-hitting bands that are super fun to listen to. I also really loved the new Palace record that came out back in April.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
That’s tough. It would probably have to be Arctic Monkeys or Kings of Leon. They were the bands that really peaked our interests in high school when we were just getting started. There are a lot of bands we would love to open for, but it would be cool to open for them because it would be more of a full circle moment.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
Connecting with the audience. 100%. The people who listen to us and support us when they have no reason other than they can relate to our music are the people we do this for. Anytime we’re questioning things and having doubts, we usually meet someone who tells us how much our music means to them. I don’t think they know how much that means to us. I believe listening to music is therapeutic, and it makes us happy to know we can help people in their everyday lives with something as simple as a song.
And what is the most frustrating part?
Breaking through on social media. There’s just so many people doing the music thing, and now you must be more of an “influencer” than an artist. We never got into it, and we have very little interest in doing that. That said, you adapt or die, so we kind of have to play the game.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
Keep going. If you have something you want to say, don’t quit until you say it. You never fail until you give up, so just keep going.
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Lenox Hills' new EP 'Staring At The Sun' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.