CONDITIONS off of the criticism they had received in the past. “I think people will be very surprised with the one we’re about to put out,” Alex says. “It’s a little more mature for us, I think, and every song is a little bit different, whereas in the past our biggest criticism was, ‘I like their songs, but a lot of them just sound really similar.’ I get that. I know where people are coming from when they say that, so it was a conscious effort this time around to do something different in every song and I think we did a good job.” As of now, the album is due to come out in March. Meanwhile, the band have been focusing on their live performance, adjusting to the new dynamic since Jason left. “It was a lot at first, to just relearn all of our old songs and know which part I should play where and also singing on top of it, but now that I’m comfortable with it, it’s really fun,” Alex says. “We’re just rolling with the four of us and trying to fill it out the best we can.” The guys haven’t completely ruled out bringing in another guitarist down the line, but as of right now, they seem quite content with how things are going. “There’s just so much more room on stage now and hotel rooms aren’t as packed,” Alex says, chuckling. “It’s great. I’m very happy with it so far.” The band are also happy with the variety of their tour mates, which have ranged from heavy rock 44
bands like letlive. to pop rock acts like Every Avenue. “When I go to see a show, I want to see a little bit of diversity,” Alex says. “I don’t want to see five bands playing four-chord pop songs and I don’t want to just be screaming.” When it comes to their own music, the band regard themselves as belonging somewhere within a happy medium. “I feel like we’re that band that could pass as just a rock band with some pop sensibility, but when we play live, it’s just a little more passionate than can be captured in a recording, so it comes off a little heavier,” Alex says. But with live performances, it can sometimes be more than just about the music — and that’s the most rewarding part, according to Alex. “I think, more than anything, we’re just humbled,” he says. “Even if you’re having a bad day and you don’t want to play and you’ve got crap going on at home and you’re broke, whatever the case may be, you’ll play a show and it’ll kind of put the life back in you. And someone will come up and be like, ‘I was going through this really rough time and your music was the only thing that helped me through. I just want to thank you.’ Then it’s like, let me take a step back from whatever my problem was. This is something bigger than just me and I’m really thankful to be a part of it.” NKD