A Chat with Cry Red (19.03.2021)
Using the 10 tracks of their album Everything and the Space in Between, Cry Red illustrate their diversity and versatility. With heartfelt lyrics and addictive melodies, they hold onto their signature sound while taking you soaring through the pop-rock sphere. Anthony Hutchins (guitars, keys), Jayson Keeler (vocals), Bruno Centofanti (guitars), Dom Peyton (bass) and Ed Boateng (drums) have created a wholistic album that is best listened to from start to finish. We sat down with Anthony Hutchins to talk about the album, connected songs, genres and much more!
OSR: The band was formed on the back of a music publishing deal, but can you tell us a bit more about how you all connected with each other?
Hutchins: The music publishing deal in question came about prior to the current Cry Red lineup, signed on the back of original recordings written by myself and featuring a finalist from BBC’s The Voice. This new injection of interest made it imperative to put together a band to promote the music live.
Brazilian guitarist Bruno Centofanti was first to join, initiated by a mutual love for similar bands. Auditioning for a drummer, we had an immediate and natural connection with Ed Boateng, and during this process, close friend Dominic Peyton, drafted in to play bass at the auditions, chose to stay for good, much to our delight. Responding to an advert online featuring a singer fitting the bill perfectly, Jayson Keeler was the final member to join, and the Cry Red line up as it is today was born.
OSR: Your new album Everything and the Space in Between is a collection of diverse songs, what prompted you to create such a collection?
Hutchins: The music spans decades of influence and it is simply the case that the songs have come about naturally because of those musical influences, culminating in a fusion of contemporary indie pop-rock with classic ’80s, ’90s and alternative rock. The common denominator between all of them being songs filled with heartfelt words and infectious melodies.
OSR: How did you choose the tracks that would be included in the album?
Hutchins: The tracks that were chosen for the album not only demonstrated our musical diversity but allowed the album to blend seamlessly from one song to the next through the varying emotional dynamics reflected within each of the songs.
OSR: What is your usual creative process? Does your music come in jam sessions or do you have a more structured approach?
Hutchins: It very much depends on the environment. Traditionally the creative process was a mix between developing home studio demos and collective writing/arranging in rehearsal rooms and studios, however, the last year has meant that like every other musician, we have had to connect remotely to share and develop ideas.
OSR: Each song on the album flows into the next connecting everything. What prompted you to do this?
Hutchins: We wanted to ensure that the album flowed like a traditional rock album, moving smoothly from one song into the next, to a great extent mirroring a live performance. This is certainly an influence from rock albums of a pre-digital age where an album was likely purchased to be listened to from start to finish, something less common nowadays in a market dominated by singles.
OSR: While all the tracks flow into each other, are there any that have a special place in your heart?
Hutchins: Every track has a story behind it, however, if I had to pick any that are particularly special I would firstly choose ‘Closer’, an upbeat anthemic love song about overcoming life’s hurdles together. This was also the band’s first official single and epitomises the bands signature epic pop-rock sound.
Further to this, ‘Vertigo’, a powerful pop-rock ballad about distance, uncertainty and hope, symbolises the achievement of a band collaboration that we are all exceptionally proud of. Finally, I would highlight ‘The Writer’, a subtle intimate confession unravelling in an explosion of emotion and melody, beautifully captured in a music video directed exclusively for Cry Red featuring a dancer from the Royal Opera House Ballet.
OSR: The album covers a variety of genres, was this something that happened organically?
Hutchins: Yes, I very much believe so. The album is not only the organic influence of listening to music that spans genres but perhaps as equally important, inspiration and learning from live performances of many of our music idols.
OSR: Who would you say is the biggest influence on your sound?
Hutchins: For their ability to consistently release songs with classic melodies, whilst continuing to stay current and maintain their audience, I would have to say U2.
OSR: If the album were a colour, what would it be and why?
Hutchins: It would have to be Red! Outside of the obvious reason regarding the band name, there is a huge amount of passion in the songs.
OSR: What else can we expect from you in the coming year?
Hutchins: We continue to work closely with British producer Tim Wills (Ian Brown) and have a pipeline of releases planned for this year, kicked off in January with a laid back electronic remix of our album track ‘One Way Streets’. Our next single release features a guest female vocalist and is currently in the process of being mixed, release date to be confirmed.
Further to that, we have a number of brand new songs that are under production and of course like every other musician out there, we look forward to when we can again play live. All singles to date have been represented by music videos that feature on our YouTube channel, and we intend to continue that pattern.
Thanks to Anthony Hutchins for chatting with us! You can find more about Cry Red on their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
