Since forming in April of 2017, New Jersey alternative band, Soapbox Sound, is focused on the future with the release of its first EP, “Cornerstone.” In an interview with freshman Michael Bachmann, the band talks influences, the meaning behind the name, and the band’s long-term goals.

Guitar/Vocals: Freddy Brignola

Guitar/Vocals: John Kroner

Bass: Evan Brignola

Drums: Victoria Limongelli

What is Soapbox Sound all about and why to people need to check out your music?

We’re all about examining personal lives and relationships to help gain a greater understanding on life and the world around us. We concentrate on creating meaningful and lyrically focused, yet melodically catchy songs with a breath of familiarity and originality.

Where does the name Soapbox Sound come from?

We come across so many bands who write catchy songs, but they seemingly meaningless or uninspired. So, we just wanted a name to represent the fact that we have something to say in comparison to some of them, with the word ‘soapbox’ implying we have a message to spread. And even though we write about common themes like love and loss, we hope to bring a fresh take on them by coming at them from a personally intimate and honest, yet creative direction. In the end, we hope everyone can take away at least one thing from our music.

If you could compare your music to another band, which would you choose?

A band we might compare ourselves to is one we’ve come across rather recently called Twin Peaks. They have this fun energy even though their lyrics aren’t always happy.

Who are the band’s top 3 inspirations musically?

The Beatles, Pinegrove, and The Front Bottoms

Tell me a bit about your debut EP, “Cornerstone”. What is the theme of the record and describe the writing process.

“Cornerstone” is the first of hopefully many stones of our musical career and originally, we had enough songs for at least a 12-track album. Unfortunately, we could only afford to record 7. We believe it to be a great representation of our music to debut with. It’s essentially an album about love. The impact it has on our lives, the intensity of heartbreak, and the struggle to love oneself and be happy. All of the lyrics were written by our lead singer John, but the essence of our sound and the music in the songs are attributed to the entire band as each person lends themselves to the creative process to shape and enhance each song.

If you were on a deserted island, and the band could only have one album to listen to, which would it be and why?

Pinegrove’s “Cardinal”. When we first formed as a band, we came across that band and that album, which sparked a mini obsession with them for a little while. Their music helped us pay attention to such things like tempo changes and dynamics, which we then incorporated into our own songs. They came from a nearby town and were a young group playing cool songs with interesting lyrics so they kind of became an inspiration for us as we were just getting started.

What song should new listeners listen to first as an introduction to your music?

We feel each song chosen for this debut album represents something a little different about us, but overall the opening song, “Loveless,” captures the essence of who we are. It’s a story about a man who is, well, loveless and how he’s dealing with that. The lyrics are cool and a little comical, the story itself is painfully relatable, and it’s endlessly catchy and upbeat even though it’s not a happy tune.

What are the band’s long-term goals?

Our long-term goals are to be able to tour and share our music with audiences as far reaching as possible. We hope to continue to create music and play together to basically live out our musical dreams. We’re ready for the hard work and we’re looking forward to the grind.