Common Sage is a band from Brooklyn, New York that falls somewhere between the emo and post-hardcore side of the stylistic spectrum (more on that later). Previously signed to No Sleep Records, the quartet have recently joined the Equal Vision Records family alongside the likes of Hot Water Music, Bane, and Be Well.
Closer To; is Common Sage's new album, and for its recording sessions, they traveled to Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey to work with producer Brett Romnes (Anxious, The Movielife) at Barber Shop Studios. The result is an 11-song collection of melodic ear nuggets that brings to mind the era when major label A&R scouts were on the prowl at Warped Tour stops from Los Angeles to Long Island.
No Echo spoke with Common Sage guitarist/vocalist Julian Rosen to get his thoughts on being labeled an emo band, his lyrics, and more. The band is managed by an old friend, Michael Dubin, who many of you might know from his years in the music scene. Hi, Dubin!
What does "emo" mean to you and the band in terms of the stylistic parameters and how it informs your songwriting in Common Sage? Do you even care about supposed genre restraints?
I think all emo influences the band in some way I think, at least for me. I love Rites of Spring, Fugazi, Cap'n Jazz, everything from Long Island in the '00s, My Chemical Romance and I love Snowing, Algernon Cadwallader. I genuinely love every era or every "generation" of it.
I don't care about the genre restraints at all, no, but it is a necessary evil. I don't think the Promise Ring is very similar to Cap'n Jazz, but I wouldn't have found one without the other if they both had not been labeled as "emo." The term is so large now and covers so many different things that I feel like you can label anything as emo as long as it's coming from a real emotional place.
Staying on that topic, I was curious to get your thoughts on the whole "FFO" and "RIYL" thing in music these days? I mean, I definitely use it to help provide context to the readers of No Echo, but I know many musicians hate the whole thing. I've seen Common Sage compared to Brand New a bunch throughout the years.
Yeah, again I think it's a necessary evil. it's like putting yourself in a box, which feels weird sometimes, but it's what entices people to give you the chance and listen. exactly like you just said it gives context, and I think nowadays more than before people like a lot of information.
I don't hate it at all, but I look forward to the day where I don't have to personally use it to try to catch someone's eye. it would also be so cool for someone to use a "FFO: Common Sage" one day [laughs).
The name “Common Sage” and the idea of clearing the air to create something new is really compelling. What does this mean to you as a band, and how does this theme manifest in the new album?
I don't think that clearing the air/creating something new is like our mantra, or our mission statement. I will say that I've been making music my entire life, and good or bad it always naturally changes with each new body of work. I think it's so boring when a band just keeps doing the same formula every time, even if it's a great formula, even if it's never objectively bad. this isn't me condemning that.
I guess I'm just saying that i'm inspired by so many different things and my taste changes super often. I don't go out of my way to try to continuously create a new sound, it just happens and I feel comfortable and grateful for that, if that makes sense.
Many writers are reticent to get into the details about their subject matter, but I was curious what themes and messages are you exploring on Closer To;? It's hard to hear the lyrics in "Patient & Kind" and not think it's coming from a personal experience.
That's a great word [laughs]. Yeah, I understand that and I fall into that category. We keep talking about necessary evils and that is one of them. The album is about change and loss, and to be more specific: it's about losing hope, your former self, your childhood/innocence, seeing that in yourself as well as in other people/the world around you.
All of my lyrics come from a personal place definitely. I try to obscure the ideas in the words so they are not completely obvious or boring, but I think just like any other good song by any other artist, there's always a word or a sentence that clicks with a listener and kind of clarifies what the song is about, or what's happening if it wasn't already apparent.
How has it been working Mr. Dubin? How has he helped the band navigate through all the bullshit?
Dubin has gotten us everything we have. we're on Equal Vision, collaborated with 2 members of Thursday, Jason Gleason (Further Seems Forever), we've played with Taking Back Sunday (which i'll never get over), and I believe he's the reason you and me are talking to each other right now.
He's just a really good dude who genuinely likes the music and wants to help as much as humanly possible and see us do the best we can. That is the shortest and sweetest answer I can give without writing paragraphs of every little thing he's done/continues to do for us (laughs).
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Closer To; is available now via Equal Vision Records.
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