We Say…
Based out of Oakland, California, Art Moore are a band that never actually set out to become one. The band originally came about after Sam Durkes had been working on Ezra Furman’s soundtrack to the Netflix series, Sex Education. Wanting to further expand into the world of soundtracks, Sam recruited fellow Ezra collaborator Trevor Brooks and Boy Scouts’ Taylor Vick and set out to see what would happen. Initially, they took an almost improvisational approach, attempting to soundtrack imagined scenes so they could pitch them to film producers. After etnering the studio, they quickly clicked, and then as the pandemic struck, with time on their hands, they set about fleshing out those initial ideas and before they knew it, they’d written an entire album’s worth of material. Now signed to ANTI- last week they shared their self-titled debut record, and in doing so, I think it would be fair to say, became a band in a more traditional sense.
In their initial conception, Art Moore were conceived with a traditional indie-rock sound an attempt from Trevor to get back to traditional song structures. As time passed though, and the band spent longer working together things began to shift. Trevor dug into his back catalogue and the time he spent as a member of the Bay Area experimental electronic group, Awefekt, to add layers of synths and drum machines that float amidst the more traditional song structures on show elsewhere. This blurring of musical worlds runs throughout the record from the opening track Muscle Memory, with its rhythmic acoustic guitar and subtle organ flourishes through to the synth pulse of the A Different Life and the Beach House-meets-R’n’B qualities of October. Despite not being conceived as a record, Art Moore is not a collection of unrelated themes, instead, it feels like a songwriter working through something, Taylor’s lyrics seem to touch on ideas of time passing, relationships that fizzle out, a sense of abandonment raised via a gentle sigh, not a cataclysmic eruption. Throughout there’s an emotional subtlety, whether it’s Sixish’s exploration of a friendship you can’t move on from, or the 80’s influenced Snowy, with its intricate blurring of anger and nostalgia in the face of grief and loss. Sometimes things don’t work out the way you intended, and Art Moore are a testament to how exciting that can be, maybe they’ll soundtrack films one day, for now, they’ve just written a record and a very good one at that.
They Say…
FTR: For those who don’t know who are Art Moore?
Art Moore is Taylor Vick, Trevor Brooks, and Sam Durkes.
FTR: What can you remember about your first show as Art Moore or the other projects?
We haven’t played any shows as Art Moore!
FTR: Why do you make music? Why not another art form?
I (Taylor) never gained many skills in practicing different art forms. I can’t keep a straight face so acting was out of the picture, and my drawing skills peaked when I learned that pointy capital S everyone drew in elementary school.
FTR: What can people expect from the Art Moore live show?
Three people on stage with their hands very full, big multitasking energy.
FTR: What’s next for Art Moore?
Live shows! And writing more!
They Listen To…
Strange Ranger – Get Right Up To The Mic
Drugdealer – Madison
Blunt Chunks – Natural Actors
Say She She – Trouble
Remi Wolf – Street You Live ON
Art Moore is out now via ANTI- Records. For more information on Art Moore visit https://artmooremusic.com/.
For The Rabbits 