I’m excited to share with you the Canadian Indie Rock band Black Pontiac and their new single “Island Honey”! Combining influences ranging all the way from the Hives to Jay Z to the iCarly theme song, Black Pontiac consists of lead singer Matty Mclaren, brothers Mack and Sam Riddell on guitar and drums respectively and Avery John Shoesmith on bass. The boys have made quite a name for themselves in their hometown’s underground music scene and intend to deliver a plethora of styles for their upcoming debut album brought together by ice-cold riffs, a versatile rhythm section, and devastating displays of provocative lyrical prowess.
Black Pontiac’s lead vocalist Matty Mclaren spoke to ai love music recently to talk about the band’s history, influences, and their latest single. Find out why “Island Honey” is called a summer fling and a psychedelic shindig by continuing to read. Also, check out the song down below, and let me know what you think!
Please introduce the band to those who don’t know them. How did the band come to be?
We are Black Pontiac, consisting of myself (Matty) on the lead vocals, brothers Mac and Sam on guitar and drums respectively, and Avery on bass.
What musical artists and genres influence your music?
Our music is a little all over the place as a result of our different musical backgrounds and tastes, if I had to name a few artists off the top of my head they’d be Cake, Bad Brains, the Beastie Boys, and (for the more pop-leaning music in our discog) Peach Pit along with modern rock acts like Jack White and Cage the Elephant.
How has your 2021 been so far?
Thankfully we’ve been able to keep ourselves busy this year with the recording of our debut album “From Bad to Worse (and Back Again)” which consists of ten tracks that we’re incredibly stoked to let loose soon.
Let’s talk about your latest single “Island Honey”. What is it about?
The song is about an escape. It’s a story of young stupid people in love making a Bonnie and Clyde-esque getaway, leaping from the proverbial frying pan of the mundane into the fire of the unknown.
What inspired you to write it?
It stemmed from our desire to get out of this isolation we’ve found ourselves in and our desire to see the world. We wanted to remind anyone listening (and in a way ourselves) that one day this pandemic is going to be over and while the life we used to know is gone, there’s still so much to look forward to.
What was the recording and production process like for this single?
It’s funny because this song wasn’t ever written with the intention of being single; it wasn’t even meant to be on the album. I wanted to save it for another project but Sam insisted and our producer Matt Dipomponio pushed us to finish the song while it was just a half-baked idea we were kicking around in pre-production. Don’t ask me how but we finished it and by the time it came to mixing and I’m really glad we ended up seeing it come to fruition.
The song is described as “a summer fling and a psychedelic shindig”. Expand on that!
Well, we knew right away it was going to be a summer song – there was just something there in that chord progression Mac came up with that gave me this image of riding down a west coast highway with the wind in your face while the sun goes down.
We wanted to take this vibe and combine it with the viscerally immersive sonic landscapes that Tame Impala crafted on their album “Currents” specifically with the drums, synths, and some of the guitar action. I think it creates this trippy party atmosphere that elevates the listener to this other place, the escapism we dreamed of coming to life.
What do you want listeners to listen for in your music?
We want you to listen to the words, understand the stories, and understand us, but also just have fun with it.
Any future plans?
We’ve been putting together some outdoor shows here in Vancouver, BC, with plans for indoor shows as soon as humanly possible, then a tour in 2022. We’ll be coming atcha sooner than you think!
