seeTrees on Roots, Growth, and Easy Times
Photo: Anthony Bradley
After seven years and three albums with The Dales, seeTrees was born from a desire to return to rock-oriented roots. What began as an effort to revisit unreleased songs quickly evolved into a wave of new material, shaped alongside producer Luke. Drawing inspiration from artists like The War on Drugs, Wilco, and Sam Fender, the band is now preparing to release its next LP this December, with the single "Easy Times" serving as an early preview.
Recently, we caught up with seeTrees to discuss "Easy Times," their creative process, upcoming tour plans, and the influences behind their music.
There’s a distinctly rich Americana flavor to your new single, “Easy Times,” which feels a touch different from some of the other Los Angeles artists we’ve been hearing lately. What ultimately led you toward that sound?
My entry to music was Pearl Jam at a young age in Seattle… that led to Neil Young… which led me to Americana. I always loved Ryan Adams’ records and of course Wilco. I don’t think I’m capable of abandoning that part of my DNA!
Photo: Seha Khan
One of our initial draws to the song was the Adam Granduciel-esque vocal delivery. Was this a conscious effort, or have you just been blessed by the gods of indie?
I’m a huge [The War on] Drugs fan and I’m sure his delivery - along with Bob Dylan’s are clearly an influence here!
You say that "Easy Times is the smooth ride after the turbulence that threatened to end a long relationship.” When you write, do you draw directly from personal experience, or do you use characters to create distance from the emotion?
This is a great question. I’ve never been really good at using characters. I respect the artists that do it so well - like Bruce, Petty, Eddie Vedder, etc. For me, writing is therapy for the emotions I’m feeling. Whether it’s the political climate or my personal life - it’s pretty much all out there.
Looking back at all the songs you’ve ever written, what’s the one truth about yourself that your music keeps circling back to, even when you’re not trying to write about it directly?
There’s a longing to keep growing as a person. An acknowledgment of mistakes and a hopefulness to walk in the light more often. I feel a deep uncertainty about the future and that always butts its head up against the optimism that the spiritual peace I’m seeking.
Your music leans quite heavily into organic instrumentation, including piano, layered guitars, and analog synths. In the studio, how do you balance that approach with the conveniences of digital production?
I love nothing more than the energy that humans add to the recordings. I can’t imagine a digital bass line that could come close to what Aaron Stern plays or the emotion coming out of Luke’s Drum set. Jason’s guitars are otherworldly. And, it’s just so much more fun to play it all together. It can be really time consuming - especially with the keyboard parts. Luke has all of the vintage synths, and we almost always record the real analog keys rather than using plug- ins.
Photo: Seha Khan
The band is gearing up for a summer run along the West Coast. How many dates are you planning, and which cities are you most excited to visit? Any standout or legendary venues on the route?
Dates are still being added, but we will be in San Francisco, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Folsom, Ojai … It looks like we will also be playing some East Coast dates in Ohio, NYC and Philadelphia. We’re very excited to play the legendary Troubadour on Dec. 8th for our album release show!
At the end of the world, you can only preserve one album to represent everything music meant to humanity. What is it?
Wow! This might not be my desert island album… but I think it represents what music meant to humanity because it covers such a range of emotions, tempo and style. Michael Jackson’s Bad. This album blends so many genres. It takes care of everybody. “Man in the Mirror” is one of the best songs of all time. The shuffle feel of “The Way You Make Me Feel,” the melodic beauty of “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.” The rock influence of “Smooth Criminal” — it's just classic.
Stream "Easy Times" now, and watch for seeTrees coming to a city near you. Connect with the band: Website | Instagram | Spotify | TikTok
-TM