Flycatcher frontman Greg Pease reveals the inner workings of his band's revamped debut, 'Wrench.'
Stream: “Down” – Flycatcher
Many bands take their entire lives to complete their first album. Flycatcher, however, needed two full-length records, one popular EP, and seven years of adjustments to finally release their official debut.
“It’s amusing,” says frontman Greg Pease from the passenger side of the band’s tour van. During our video discussion, Pease is eager to share just how much Flycatcher has evolved since work on Wrench began in 2018. He pauses, seemingly struck by the revelation. “Flycatcher becoming twangy, folky, middle-of-the-road rock is how we ended up touring with Oso Oso. I thought it would be the opposite.”
Wrench – Flycatcher
Pease and his three fellow bandmates are based between Asbury Park and Jersey City. Up until now, however, staying true to their roots had been holding the band back. “I was really clinging to the emo scene,” he reminisces, adjusting his dark sunglasses.
Tonight's show has brought them to Austin, Texas, almost 2,000 miles from his hometown of New Brunswick, where the original lineup formed close to the genre’s resurgence. “I thought I could reverse-engineer our songs to fit into that mold.”
To be fair, Flycatcher wasn’t unsuccessful in following that formula. Their initial attempts at a full-length were promising enough that the scene's leading producer, Will Yip, signed them to his label. But Wrench fulfills the band's potential by breaking free from previous constraints.
“We named it Wrench because my relationship with music was quite strained,” Pease explains. When asked how he navigated those complex feelings, our discussion takes a trip back to his musical roots. “What drew me to music initially was hearing my dad play these loud, vibrant, exciting records,” he reminisces, mentioning The Kinks, Prince, and Californication. “Wrench is the kind of album I want to hear. I wanted it to be enjoyable and laid-back. I wanted it to feel like rock music.”
Wrench maintains its powerful essence while keeping the influences that solidified Flycatcher's foundation intact. Traces of a younger Citizen can be heard in “Dissolve,” a pop-punk track driven by Jack Delle Cava’s robust bass line. However, by discarding those self-imposed limitations, the band has truly expanded their songwriting capabilities. Pease may admire his “Brother’s” practical skills, but he and fellow guitarist Justin VanNiekerk are perfectly in sync, even while trading gritty licks.
“These songs feel very intentional and well-crafted, more so than our earlier material,” Pease admits. “Instead of just playing a cool riff and assuming the song was finished, I came to realize I needed to focus on melodies, lyrics, varied chord progressions, and arrangements.”
The transformations under Flycatcher’s hood are so unexpected that the band we recognize is almost unrecognizable. “Down” has the feel of Evan Stephens Hall moving from Pinegrove to front The Wallflowers, a comparison Pease embraces with a “hell yeah.” “I see it as a natural progression,” he continues. “I’m 28 now, but I started Flycatcher when I was 19. For a band, that feels like a lifetime.” Wrench polishes any lingering rough edges from emo’s fourth wave with power-pop’s energy and shining Americana. “Fault Line” crashes through the barriers like a wrecking ball caught in a strong Southern gust, rather than just swinging.
“I’ve had that one swirling in my mind for ages,” Pease laments as he shifts focus back to the album’s energetic opener. “There was something about the verse that wasn’t resonating with me.” Instead of hesitating, he waited until recording was well underway for the song’s hook to shine through like a ray of light from behind his mental haze.
Don’t want to pretend like I’m somebody else/ And I don’t recognize myself.
* * *
“If I’d aimed to be more precise and controlled, I probably would have thought the song wasn’t ready and needed more work,” he reflects. “But even though I wasn’t sure where it was headed, I had to remind myself to trust that it would turn out well.”
The most notable enhancement on Wrench required extra refinement. “When Flycatcher began, I didn’t really have a defined voice,” Pease confesses. “Some songs I liked my voice on, but not others.” This makes sense; his vocal range has spanned from the gentle reassurances of Midwest emo to the composed cool of indie and Title Fight's lighter shout. He has finally found his groove, thanks to Yip’s guidance. Increasing the vocal fry reveals a warm crackle
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Flycatcher frontman Greg Pease reveals to Atwood what lies beneath the surface of his band's revamped debut, ‘Wrench.’