Meet Brookyln’s electro-pop duo, The Values. The two, Evan and Mason, are set to release their new EP Civil on May 18th. From Parks and Rec to favorite places in Brooklyn to new music—learn all about The Values in our interview with the band below:
Can you introduce yourselves for those who don’t know you?
We’re Evan and Mason, and together we make The Values! We’re a couple,
we live together, and we try to make emotionally resonant music that
draws from the 80s synthpop sound, but through a modern lens. We have
lots of eclectic influences between the two of us.
Favorite place to hang out in Brooklyn? (A venue, restaurant, shop, etc.)
We used to love just going and seeing what was going on at Shea Stadium
before it closed. We also really like Soul Night at Friends and
Lovers. We live in Flatbush, so our neighborhood hangout is ZuriLee,
which has amazing pizza and cocktails and is rarely crowded.
How would you describe your sound?
We definitely find ourselves in the realm of synthpop, or indie pop.
Lyrically though, we’re heavily influenced by people like John
Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, who is so deft at making poetry out
of the monotony of daily life. Dance music can be very cathartic to
begin with. We want to provide that in our lyrics too and in the
stories we tell. Basically, our equation is thumping basslines +
shimmering synths + super danceable drum beats + emotionally raw
lyrics = The Values.
What message(s) do you want to get across in your music?
We’ve touched on lots of different topics in our writing, but the
through-line is sort of that life is tough, and we’re not going to
tell anyone different, but music and other people make it better. We’d
like our music to be a safe place for people to run to when they need
it.
Favorite song you’ve written and why?
Our new single “Civil” is probably our favorite so far. We just think
it’s the best thing we have out there right now—it sort of marked a
next level of songwriting for us as a band.
If you could cast yourselves in any TV show (currently on-air or
not), which would it be?
Evan: I’d love to play a bad guy who Timothy Olyphant’s character
shoots in Deadwood.
Mason: I’d want to be cast as one of April Ludgate’s creepy friends in
Parks and Recreation, mostly just to be able to hang out with Aubrey
Plaza.
What is one thing music does for you that nothing else in the world can?
Evan: It gives me eargasms!
Mason: Writing music often helps me sort out my feelings about
something. It can make something that’s bothering me more manageable,
and help me to see it for what it is.
What are your plans for the rest of 2018?
We’re releasing our EP “Civil”, which we think is the best thing we’ve
worked on so far. We’re going to be playing a lot in New Jersey,
Pennsylvania, and working our way out west and south in preparation
for a national tour. We love going on the road and seeing America
outside of New York City. We’re also constantly writing new material,
so we can’t wait to get back to recording at Holy Fang studios with
Oliver Ignatius, who recorded and produced our EP.
Final message to the BTS readers?
Go see live music. It doesn’t have to be us. Bands in New York can
only survive if people go see them, so support your local musicians!
*Above photograph and featured image belong to The Values
Check out The Values on Spotify and make sure to follow the band’s Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram:
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