Ben Folds Audio Interview - New Ben Folds Five Record

Hey guys,
Very excited to present the newest interview for The Synthesizer Sympathizer.  Today's guest is Ben Folds, our biggest guest yet.  Instead of doing a standard text interview, I've upped the ante for an audio interview, presented in two forms for maximum exposure-- YouTube and SoundCloud.  Ben and I talked about the new Ben Folds Five record coming this September.  The album is the group's first recording in about 12 years, and promises to be a classic.  I strongly encourage you to preorder the album by going to http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/benfoldsfive.  Some of the proceeds will go to music education charities as well.  If you'd like to hear some of the music first, you can also download a free track and hear another in the pledge video at that link.

You can download the interview here.

I hope to do more of these audio interviews in the future-- it was a ton of fun.  A big thanks to Ben for joining me and chatting about the new record!

Alphabeat Interview: "Vacation" and the New Record

Alphabeat's new single "Vacation" launched a week ago today, and with great pleasure, I had the chance to chat with the band about their new single and record only days later.  Alphabeat's self titled debut in 2007 showed the world their pop craftsmanship with the tracks "Fascination" and "What Is Happening".  Their track "Boyfriend", which was re-produced as a new, more synth laden song, emerged as the new direction of the band.  2009 saw the release of The Spell, which marked a new era for Alphabeat-- a style more congruent with Ace of Base than modern pop-rock.  With their ever-evolving sound, the past 3 years have left fans wondering what form they would return in for their follow up record, and with the release of "Vacation", it seems to indicate a bright and fun 70s/80s pop influence.

I feel quite lucky these days getting a chance to interview some more of my absolute favorite musicians.  Alphabeat seem to be just as cool and bubbly as their stage presence suggests.  It also makes life easier when a group is willing to speak English for an interview (their native tongue is Danish)-- and for that, Alphabeat, I thank you.  Read on for some insight into the new Alphabeat record.