Cape Crush is a power-emo band hailing from the North Shore of Massachusetts. The band consists of Ali Lipman on guitar and vocals, James Christopher on guitar, Jake Letizia on bass guitar, and Mike on drums. Their debut album Place Memory is out now via Wanna Hear It Records.
Shannon Elaine got a chance to talk to the band about their attempt to create a new genre, their new album, and the current scene for New England indie bands!
Interview
Shannon Elaine sits down with Cape Crush
You just got back from touring with Mallcops. What did that run teach you about Cape Crush that you didn’t know going into it?
We had a blast on the road with Mallcops. They're one of our favorite bands and some of our favorite people. This run was particularly fun for Cape Crush because the shows were so great. We played for some really amazing audiences and people came out to see for the first time, and back to see us again. It was our second East Coast tour and we definitely felt like we were building more and more connections in some of these places. I think we also worked really well together as a band in the behind-the-scenes ways that matter to us, like being professional/efficient/organized, watching all the bands play, and being grateful to our hosts. I would say that I learned that we share these values as a band on this tour.
You released Place Memory this year. Looking back at it now, what does that record represent for the band?
It's our debut LP and the most ambitious project we've completed as a band to this date. Even though it just came out, these songs feel old to us! It is the last recording of our original drummer Cody Rico who had to retire from drumming for health reasons. I love that it captures his drumming one last time. He's such a dear friend who has had a terrible battle with his health. We treasure writing and recording these songs together. To answer the question, Place Memory represents the end of our Cody era and the new chapter we've entered as a band.
You call yourselves “power-emo.” What does that mean to you, and what separates Cape Crush from the wider emo/pop-punk scene?
We're trying to define a new genre over here with the whole power-emo thing. Basically, a combination of power-pop (think Superchunk) meets big guitar emo (like Jimmy Eat World). We're not mathy like a lot of fifth+wave emo. Our songs have a songwriter at the center, and we play with a lot of chunky distortion. Kind of like late the 90s Emo MTV was obsessed with. Emo is such a widely used term these days, and it can mean so many things so power-emo feels like it defines us better.
You’re a North Shore Massachusetts band. How much has the New England music scene shaped Cape Crush?
The New England music scene is a huge influence on us. It's the kind of music scene that really shows up for each other. People around here really love music, and they love discovery. There's no ego about supporting one another. I listen to local bands almost constantly when I'm streaming music and I can say without a doubt, there's also some unreal talent around here. I count local bands as some of our greatest influences and I'm super proud to be part of this scene.
You’re playing FEST this month. What does getting to play a festival like that mean to you at this stage of the band?
This will be our third year playing FEST and I'm always extremely humbled to be asked to play. This year, there were 3,000 submissions to play. Only about 10% get chosen. It's just such an amazing event, and basically everyone in the universe that could possibly like your band is gathered there. This is a particularly good lineup for 90s Emo lovers like me. We also enjoy traveling together and attending the festival.
What’s something about touring as an independent band that fans probably don’t realize?
It takes about 6-months of prep, it's incredibly financially risky, logistically complex, and can be disheartening (like when a promoter ghosts you or a venue doesn't want to take the bill). We're a DIY band, so we book the entire things ourselves. It's only rewarding once you get on the road and on the stage. I love it though. To me, it's vacation.
Bands are incressingly expected to be musicians, marketers, and content creators all at once. How has that affected the way Cape Crush approaches being a band?
It's just about prioritization, I think. We aren't a band without music, so writing good songs is the first priority. Second, is being good members of our community. Going to as many shows as we play, helping out touring bands, and amplifying DIY music we really believe in. Third, is being a good sport about music marketing. I think you just have to be a student of it because without it, nobody hears your music. But that doesn't mean compromising your values or your mental health for it.
Do you think social media has made it easier for smaller bands to find an audience, or harder because everyone is competing for the same attention?
What I've learned about social media marketing is that it's pretty similar to being a good steward of your music scene. I believe bands should attend as many shows as they play, but I've also felt that our social media content has been amplified because we are also participating in the scene online. It doesn't feel disingenuous to share a friends post or leave a comment, and it serves two purposes: telling the algorithm who you are (and that you're real), and boosting your friends. Sure everyone is competing for attention, but being yourselves, not always requiring some kind of call-to-action, and focusing on building community is my advice to small bands looking to find their audience on the Internet.
You already have new songs planned for next year. Without giving away too much, does the next material feel like an extension of Place Memory, or are you moving somewhere different?
We are recording several songs too, and I really feel like these new songs are just more developed versions of who we were when we wrote Place Memory. We're maturing, trying new things, and building on the formula that works for us.
For someone discovering Cape Crush through this interview, what’s the one song you’d tell them to start with and why?
I would start with Come Shed Your Light on me. It's such a beautiful song and has great dynamics to begin exploring Cape Crush from.