True to their name, Art Moore paint luscious soundscapes that ebb and flow, evoking images in the mind’s eye. It’s little surprise they originally set out to make music for film and TV projects. With their self-titled debut album out today, we caught a few words from the trio.
How did you guys form Art Moore?
Sam: Trevor and Taylor are old friends from their San Francisco coffee slinging days. I know Trev from the other band I play in, Ezra Furman. He and I started tinkering with demos back in January 2020 and reached out to Taylor to see if she wanted to lend her voice and might to the project. She did. Here we are, a full-length LP later.
Why the name, Art Moore?
Sam: It’s both a cool name and a way of being. Create more art.
Describe your sound in three words.
Sam: Lush, sweet, devastating
I understand you first set out to collaborate with the goal of pitching music for film and TV projects. Is imagining a certain image or scene something that especially helps you devise your music?
Sam: Yes. I believe it does. Because we write the music before Taylor’s melody and lyrics, I like to imagine a scene in a movie in which there is a foundational mood. Is it raining? Is the character in the car? Is this a flashback?
Which artists or bands do you most share a love for?
Sam: There’s probably a bunch! But ones we’ve vocalized are Andy Shauf, The Cranberries, Grandaddy.
Taylor, you already have a distinguished solo career under the moniker Boy Scouts. What does being in a three-piece do for your sound, and how does it compare to your solo work?
Taylor: Everything about the process of creating with Art Moore is different than my personal process creating Boy Scouts stuff. With Art Moore, I came up with lyrics and vocal melodies to fleshed out instrumentals that Sam and Trevor made – so everything inherently feels and sounds different from anything I would have made completely on my own.
Congratulations on the forthcoming release of your self-titled debut album. What were the main challenges you experienced during the making of this record?
Taylor: I think the biggest challenge was isolation. We couldn’t get together and work on songs whenever we felt like it. Not only do we all live in different cities, but we were also making the record during a time when we were being advised to isolate.
The lead single for your forthcoming album, ‘Snowy’, is about a widow on a road trip. Could you explain a bit more about what it’s about and what inspired you to write it…
Taylor: That’s correct. I think I came up with the chorus melody and lyrics first and knew it would be from the perspective of someone on a road trip, then when writing the verses decided to make them a widow.
I can’t really say I know what inspired me to write it, but I can say I often gravitate towards writing about loss. I wanted to write about the experience of being in conversation with a loved one who’s passed on, either aloud, alone in your car, or in your mind.
Listening to the album, the passing of time is a theme that comes through quite often. Was that intentional and why if so?
Taylor: I wouldn’t say it was consciously intentional, but it is definitely a theme I am drawn to writing about, usually by using the past or the imagined future to assess or work through where I’m at in the present.
What story overall are you trying to convey with this album?
Taylor: I don’t think there is one story we were trying to convey with this album. If anything it’s more like a book of short stories, most of which are unrelated but have a similar flavor.
Are there any little-known acts who you feel should get more attention right now?
Taylor: Katsy Pline, from Berkeley. My friend Evie makes Willie Nelson-esque old country tunes that are so beautiful and her live performances make me cry! Synth magic, fingerstyle guitar, and impeccable songwriting.
Where’s the best place for people to be when listening to your forthcoming album and why?
Trevor: It’s probably best to be next to a large body of water.
What’s your experience been like of performing live as Art Moore? (If you’ve done so).
Trevor: We’ll be playing our first shows together this coming September, opening for Ezra Furman on the east coast of the US. So no experiences to speak of yet but we’re looking forward to having some good ones.
And what’s next for you guys, once your album’s released?
Trevor: Right now we’re just looking forward to playing shows. Ezra Furman support in September and two shows in October. October 12 at Zebulon in Los Angeles and October 13 at Thee Parkside in San Francisco. After that we hope to be writing more music.
