“This release represents how far we’ve come as songwriters and recording artists, apart from just starting as more of a practice band in my apartment. We are all so proud of the strides we’ve made and are so thankful to all the people supporting us throughout the state. This is just the beginning.“
Michael Higgins (23, vocals / guitar), Jake Farrell (22, bass / keys / vocals), Nick Wheeler (27, guitar / synth) and Ethan Klohr (22, drums) are the guys behind indie rock band, The Forum. Through a series of Craigslist musician page ads, and a lot of back and forth emailing, the band was eventually formed back in late 2015. Klohr was added to the group last year, rounding out the four piece. After gaining traction in Florida’s indie music scene, they signed with Gainesville’s independent label, Swamp Records, in the fall of last year. Since then, they have grown into the lyrically reflective and atmospheric sounding band they are today. Producing catchy melodies and guitar driven tracks, their sound is charming.
Their latest single “Comet,” showcases their best work to date. Their indie rock vibe, combined with a crisp indie pop sound, displays the ever changing growth of the up and coming band. The Forum attributes most of their latest success to “Comet,” which has been a crowd favorite from their live set the past few months. With a lot more coming in the second half of the year, keep your eye out for them.
For fans of Vacation Manor, Bad Suns, and COIN.
What was the inspiration behind the track?
Michael Higgins: The inspiration behind this track is a continuation of our theme of the passage of time, notably in our most recent singles Dive (2018) and Melt Away (2019). In “Comet,” I lyrically explored the idea of a relationship doomed to fail, and the mutual acceptance of the inevitable. Per the narrator, those involved “Couldn’t run from this comet,” a metaphor for an unavoidable time period about to burn out. The recurring theme of a hurricane comes from both our physical location as a Florida-based band and a collection of friends’ stories of impulse during the week of a particular hurricane in the fall of 2017 (something really was in the air that week).
What was the creative process like for “Comet”?
Higgins: The creative process was incredibly smooth for “Comet”, more so than most songs we have ever written. Without much being said, everyone in the band shared a vision of a high-energy song driven by rhythmic chorus percussion and swirling guitar leads. The makeup of the song came together very naturally, and the process of adding experimental finishing touches in the studio was also very collaborative. Producers David Kosinski and Trenton Ropp were a breeze to work with and made the atmosphere of the song much deeper than we’d originally imagined by implementing different synthesizer and guitar layerings. This was the first song written with our new drummer Ethan, and it really set the tone for our spring of touring and studio time.
Did the track come about differently than normal?
We started with a general chord progression and swiftly moved forward with the song structure, and as stated, we had a collective idea of where the song was going to end up. The main difference was in the brainstorming we did in the studio about how to layer textures perfectly, specifically in the verses and bridge. We had played the song live for 4 months before recording it, so it was a fun challenge to add new things to an already fine-tuned piece.
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