Photo: Michelle Shiers
SoCal-based duo Paradise Vultures – made up of Tommy Senter (vocals, bass) and Matty Barreca (drums) – introduces their latest single, “Sister Kennedy,” a track lifted from their forthcoming debut album, Born to Lose, produced by Phil English, and set to release later this year.
Speaking about the song, Senter shares, “‘Sister Kennedy’ is primarily about the desperation of addiction and the gnawing frustration of feeling trapped in a cycle of fighting problems with bigger problems. Whatever the agent of self-medication may be, it ultimately only serves to distort reality further, marching inexorably toward a bleaker and bleaker future.”
Birthed in 2017, when Tommy Senter released the debut EP, Gourmet Carrion, under the name Paradise Vultures, the project went through lineup changes until Senter and Barreca met in 2020, in a Tiki Bar. Bonding at first over shared musical influences, the pair’s chemistry soon became evident. After their guitarist left the band, they decided to continue as a two-piece.
“Sister Kennedy” rolls out on a driving rhythm, followed by shifting harmonically, taking on an alt-rock edge, followed by another shift to a Fall Out Boy-like stanza, leading back to the initial melody. Senter’s high tenor, almost spectral at times, descends to more familiar tones on the pushing phases. The changing textures and feel of the tune infuse it with wide emotional swings.
At once unique and wholly imaginative, “Sister Kennedy” is a compelling work of art, pulling off the seemingly impossible with aplomb.
Impressed by “Sister Kennedy,” Tattoo.com spoke with Paradise Vultures to talk about the song, and learn more about the upcoming album.
How would you describe your own music?
The elevator pitch for our sound is “Dirty, doomy desert disco,” which I think really covers all the bases. On a deeper level, it’s all about honestly and candidly writing about topics that are as difficult to broach as they are necessary. It’s music about grief, suicidal ideation, addiction, and existential angst that you can (and are encouraged to) dance to.
Tell us more about “Sister Kennedy.” What was your experience of making it?
“Sister Kennedy” was a very cathartic song to write. The initial idea for this song had been kicking around in my head for quite some time, and I needed to get it out. Once what I was hearing in my head solidified a bit, the writing happened very quickly and organically. Some songs take time to really nail down the structure, dynamics, and lyrics, but ‘Sister Kennedy’ just poured out with the kind of ease that makes you doubt yourself when it doesn’t happen like that with the next song. Sometimes, you just have to get out of your own way and let your subconscious do the talking.
Can you share the inspiration behind the track and the creative process involved in bringing it to life?
‘Sister Kennedy’ is all about the internal turmoil and external chaos that inevitably come with addiction; everything is peaks and valleys with no real stability. Your life is in this constant state of flux, and I really wanted the composition and instrumentation to reflect that push-and-pull. We played with changing time signatures between verses, choruses, and the bridge to convey the rapid shifts between depression and elation, and employed some instruments that are a bit off the beaten path in our genre (namely theremin and calliope) to create a song that is unlike anything else we’ve written. It was a ride to make, and it’s a ride to listen to. We had an absolute blast writing and recording this song, and I think that really shows. It’s also one of our favorite songs to play live.
How did you get started in music? What’s the back story there?
I grew up in a very musical family, so it just kind of naturally fell into place. I started playing piano at 5, drums at 8, and eventually, any instrument I could get my hands on. I love that there is always more to learn with music; there’s always some new puzzle I can decode, some new idea or sound I can wrap my head around and see how I can incorporate that into my musical vocabulary. Music has this unique ability to instantly tap into something so primal in the human spirit. It’s true alchemy, and my fascination with it is only matched by my love for it.
What’s the story behind the name Paradise Vultures?
I could tell you it’s all about the juxtaposition of pleasant fantasy and harsh reality; decay in the Garden of Eden, and all that. But the reality is my buddy came up with it when we were in high school for a band that never happened. When I started this band 10 years after high school, I called him up and asked him if I could use the name because I still thought it was great. The deeper meaning came later; it just sounded cool in high school.
Later this year, you will release your debut album, ‘Born to Lose.’ What can you share about the album?
‘Born to Lose’ is an especially personal body of work that was written in the immediate aftermath of my aunt losing her years-long battle with ALS. The titular track on that record was written immediately when I got home from the hospital after she passed. It was an incredibly harrowing experience, and my choice was either writing this record or completely losing my mind (I did a bit of that, as well). I’m so grateful that I have the ability and training to effectively express myself through music because I think that this grieving process would have completely broken my brain if I didn’t. The album is equal parts sincere and cynical, darkly humorous, and rightfully furious. Also, there’s a little easter egg of a 6-track concept record hiding inside a 13-track non-concept record. It’s got layers to it, and I’ve never been more proud of and satisfied with a body of work.
What can you share about your writing process?
I generally always start with a vocal melody and build around that. Vocal melody and groove are the absolute backbones of a song, and I will fight anyone who disagrees with me. All the guitar solos or production tricks in the world aren’t going to make a boring vocal melody interesting. As far as lyrics go, I like to start with gibberish lyrics, just singing the vocal melody and letting the syllables and metering of the vocals take shape. You find that it kind of works like automatic writing, where ideas start to take shape, and the song starts to say what it needs to say. Then, you fill in the blanks and see what the song needs and what it doesn’t. Throw different ideas at it and carve away the ideas that aren’t serving the song. The most important question I always have to keep in mind is, ‘Does it serve the song?’
Which do you enjoy the most: writing, recording, practicing, or playing live?
I love writing, recording, and practicing so much, but nothing compares to playing live. It’s a transcendent experience shared between performer and audience that is truly one of a kind. I live for playing live, and I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun performing live than as a two-piece. Matty and I love nothing more than giving it everything we’ve got when we play live. If we’re not sweaty, sore, and exhausted after a set, we’re doing something wrong.
What’s next for you?
Aside from another single release and then our debut full-length release, we’re currently setting up some tours and working on a whole bunch of new music. We’re just two best friends who are doing what we love together and meeting more and more new people every day who also like what we do. As long as we can keep on doing that, we’re happy.
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