The Escape‘s new EP, The Mark We Leave Behind is meant to be as thought provoking for listeners as the title suggests. A concept release about mankind’s effects on the world, the band wastes no time in posing that question right up front with their single “Soon Forgotten,” giving listeners another five songs to really soak it in and think about the mark that they leave behind.
We had the chance to catch up with the band following their release about their new music, inspirations and their plans for the rest of 2015. Read the entire interview and listen to “Soon Forgotten” below.
Interview by Shannon Shumaker
You guys just released your new album, The Mark We Leave Behind – can you tell us a little bit about it? What’s the story behind it?
The Mark We Leave Behind is a lyric from the song “Soon Forgotten” (And when it’s over/What is the Mark We Leave Behind) It’s a challenge to everyone to look at what impact you have on your fellow man, your environment, and how that impact will be interpreted by the next generation. We as people leave a mark on others and our environment, we as a band leave our mark with our music, Josh’s mom is a collage artist and created the album cover, leaving her mark, and so on.
Were there any goals you wanted to accomplish with The Mark We Leave Behind?
Our overall goal was to write the best songs we could that had a cohesive concept.
Was there anything that you wanted to touch on lyrically or content-wise with this album? What would you like listeners to take away from it?
The initial inspiration for this record was to push ourselves lyrically to write about other things than just interpersonal relationships. “Soon Forgotten” was the first song we finished, and the lyrical tone influenced the rest of the record.
It’s been about two years since your last release, so how do you think you’ve grown between New Direction and The Mark We Leave Behind?
We’ve grown as people, and as songwriters. Two years flies by in a hurry, but it also encompasses a long time in the sense of the breath of experiences you have as a person and how much you focus on your craft and your instrument.
You also partnered up with Vince Ratti for this release – how do you feel that he impacted the album?
Vince has an incredible ear for music and has a great gift at making moments in a song. A little bit of feedback or a clean guitar, and a part goes from a transition to a moment that makes the hair on your neck stand up.
You also recently released a music video for “Soon Forgotten” – can you tell us a little bit about the song and video?
This was one of the first songs we wrote for the new record. We picked it as the single because we felt it really captured the lyrical mood and feel we were going for, which is to say the idea that we need to really reexamine the way in which we as a society and as people live our lives and how we relate to one another and the environment around us.
Are there any other songs that you’re really excited to play live or for listeners to hear?
We’re excited to be playing “Two Steps Forward.” We’ve played it exactly once live, and we all really dig the song.
After the album drops, do you have any other big plans for 2015? Could we expect some tour dates in the future?
We’ve got some dates in the works we’ll be announcing soon. Till then we’re gonna sit here and brood like Mr. Burns. Excellent.
Thanks for taking the time to chat with us! Is there anything else you’d like to add?
“The Mark We Leave Behind” is available on Itunes worldwide. Thanks for talking to us, and Pizza is our woman crush wednesday. Over and Over.
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