SEMIOTIC FOR THE PEOPLE American Princes
Jul 30, 2008
Arkansas band writes the songs that make the whole world think.
BY HAL BIENSTOCK
When music fans hear the term “concept album,” they generally brace themselves for either a pale imitation of Pink Floyd’s The Wall or a goofy, overblown epic like Rush’s 2112. But when Little Rock’s American Princes describe Other People (Yep Roc) with the dreaded c-word, they mean something completely different.
“You can look at concept albums in one of two ways: having a narrative or just channeling the feelings of the time,” says singer/guitarist David Slade. “An illustration of the former would be Tommy or The Wall. An illustration of the latter would be What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye… That’s the direction we wanted to go in.”
The themes of the loud, melodic songs on Other People are alienation, relationships and the ways people perceive one another. Like What’s Going On, the album is a reaction to the political climate. “The notion of [perception], particularly in an election year and where America is right now with the rest of the world, is a profoundly frightening thing,” says Slade.
Of course, topicality means nothing without a catchy tune, so the guys turned to hip-hop producer Chuck Brody (Wu-Tang Clan) to ensure the music hit as hard as the words.
“[Singer/guitarist] Collins Kilgore and I had a protracted conversation about how integral the hook is in hip-hop and how important producers are for keeping an eye on that,” says Slade. “A lot of indie bands lost sight of that.”
“There are a lot of bands influenced by the Pixies and Sonic Youth who say ‘Let’s make our music weird and experimental,’” adds Kilgore. “The problem is that [they forget] bands like that were very hook-oriented.”
In the end, American Princes know some fans pump their fists, while others give their minds a workout. Either way is okay with them. “I don’t think the songwriter should have all that much say in how your work is interpreted,” says Slade. “One of the best things about pop music is you don’t need a degree in semiotics to make it your own.”
[Photo Credit: Stewart Isbell]
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