Point Park University's Student-Run Newspaper

Point Park Globe

Point Park University's Student-Run Newspaper

Point Park Globe

Point Park University's Student-Run Newspaper

Point Park Globe

Local band to perform ‘cohesive mix’ of pop/rock

Steve Foht took a trip to San Diego when he was hit with inspiration for his band’s newest album. He felt the rush of the plane lifting off as it flew off the track, feeling the excitement of the pressure in his chest as the plane ascended into the sky.From that, Music From Another’s Room’s, “Departures,” was born. The album is about the result and not the process, and the “gateway to new adventures” Foht, the band’s vocalist, said.“The album is about moving forward, taking that step and leaving everything behind for your own sake,” said bassist Steve Pearson.  DEPARTURES presents the idea that leavingthings behind is more of an adventure into the unknown thana longing for the pastMusic From Another Room is playing at Stage AE in the North Shore at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 30. Opening for the local band are four other area bands and musicians: Crash City, Giuseppe Capolupo of Gypsy and His Band of Ghosts, Before You, and Young Fox. ThePittsburghScene.com sponsored the show.After six years of trying to form the perfect band, Music From Another Room finally found its best line-up. With two EPs and one full-length album under their belts, the band is proud of all they have accomplished.“We started writing our own music five years ago. With that, we started to find our feel as a band, and we’ve been evolving ever since,” said guitarist Alex Foht in a phone interview on Sunday. “A year or two ago, we really found our niche and sound.”The band consists of brothers Alex and Steve Foht, Steve Pearson on bass, and Nate Hall on drums. The brothers started the band six years ago, and went through various members before adding Pearson two years ago and Hall six months ago. Pearson said the biggest challenge was finding the right members.“If the music and direction of the band members don’t match up, it’s difficult. It doesn’t jive,” said Pearson, 24, in a phone interview on Sunday. “Now we’re all on the same page with what we want to sound like. We know how to write together and work together.”Steve Foht, 28, said they have a few bands they all consider to be huge influences on their sound, including Jimmy Eat World, Cartel and As Tall As Lions. There are tell-tale signs of these influences in their songs with guitar-driven melodies and solos, but he said they do put their own twists to it, adding their own quirks to their original music.Steve Foht feels every band pulls different factors from their own influences and does not mind being compared to other bands.“I believe that watching any band out there is like hearing their influences as seen and heard by the person listening to them,” Steve Foht said in a phone interview on Sunday.With that being said, the band does consider themselves pop/rock. Pearson said the structure of their songs is pop. They try to relate to that style because they are appealing to a younger crowd – teens to early 20s. However, they include elements of rock in their music, like a heavier guitar sound.At concerts, Music From Another Room often play covers of pop songs like Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” and Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven,” but with a rock twist.“We perform a pop song the way we would’ve written that song,” Pearson said.This pop/rock sound is evident in “Departures,” released April 17, 2012. Pearson said the album was all about honing their sound and providing a cohesive mix of songs within their genre, from faster-paced songs like “Tell Me” and “Escape Artist” to slower-paced songs with ambient elements like ”Gravity.”Music From Another Room worked with Punchline front-man Steven Soboslai on pre-production for the album. They then recorded “Departures” at Studio 344 with Brette Cimmarra. For the band, that was a great experience because until then Cimmarra only recorded for metal bands.When Pearson contacted him, he was dying to work with Music From Another Room because Cimmarra really wanted to leave his mark on pop music as much as metal.“Having someone from a new perspective…really made the songs sound ten times better,” Pearson said enthusiastically.In fact, Music From Another Room had two singles on local and college radio stations: “Reason to Believe,” from their EP “Arson,” and “Tell Me,” off of “Departures.” Steve Foht said it is “cool” to hear their songs on the radio.“It always catches us by surprise,” Steve Foht said. “No matter how many times it happens, it always turns your day around.”Music From Another Room also shared the stage with bands The Maine, Honor Society and Action Item when they played in Pittsburgh. The band just recently started touring out of Pittsburgh last summer and played in Philadelphia, Chicago, Buffalo and Ohio.They realize they need to tour more around the country and expand their fan base if they want to achieve the dream of making this their career. Previously, Pearson said the band worked hard to build a fan base by playing several local shows and using social media to stay in touch with their fans.As an independent band, the four members do everything themselves, so in actuality they all have three jobs: Along with their day jobs, they are also musicians and businessmen.“We’re all very driven. It takes a lot of effort to be in a band,” Pearson said.The band has three goals for 2013: tour more, release a new EP – they are currently working on new music – and continue to have a good time. The band feels like they evolved even more since “Departures” and is eager to expand on that style in their new music as they continue their journey into the unknown.But for now, the band is focusing and preparing for their Stage AE show. Pearson said they are an energetic band and always encourage crowd involvement. They will be playing songs off of “Departures,” including the band’s favorite “Catalyist.” They will also be playing a new song at the show.

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