Despite featuring fairly heavily in these pages, it’s been a while since we’ve shared an interview with Dream of a Man in a Top Hat. The Massachusetts band have really been on a roll in recent months, with new single Dimmer Switch being a great example of their sound. Give it a whirl after this interview if you like what you read here!
By Jane Howkins
It’s been a year since we last spoke to you. Have you had a good year?
Michael: It was a busy and productive year for us. We released six singles and have both been involved with record artwork production and promotion.
Lee: And we also released the Bandcamp-only compilation album Buzzy Beans which contains nine singles, including those on the Truthsenser EP.
You recently released a new track titled Dimmer Switch. What can you tell us about the track?
Michael: Dimmer Switch is one of our more psychedelic ones – and developed a bit differently than many others with Lee supplying the chorus vocals and me writing the verses to fit them.
Lee: When I began writing Dimmer Switch it had kind of a funk feel, but that disappeared once the guitar part came along! A friend of the band describes it as “a descent into madness with echoes of Sgt. Pepper”, which is a pretty good description.
How has the reception to the song been so far, and where can it be purchased?
Michael: The reception has been very positive. The comments we receive are sometimes surprising and always interesting, and we’re happy with the way people connect with what we are doing.
Lee: Dimmer Switch has more streams on Spotify than most of our other songs after a few weeks. The algorithm seems to like it too. You can stream/download it on Spotify, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Apple, Pandora and every other place that offers music for streaming.
You’ve recently released an EP called Truthsenser and a compilation album titled Buzzy Beans. Have you started work on your next release?
Michael: Yes, We are used to having a couple of songs in our inventory and have been releasing something about every two months. That’s not a strict schedule, but it’s the pace we’ve been keeping up. We do like releasing singles, though, and our next one, The Laughing Kind, is dropping on February 16.
Lee: I’m looking forward to the release of The Laughing Kind in February because I really like the psychedelic vs. post-punk balance in the song. And there’s a lot to hear in the song production too.
What’s your writing and recording process like as a band?
Lee: There are two approaches I take: guitar-based and computer-based. I’ll add a temporary digital drum track to approximate the feel – though Michael is free to change the feel if he has a better idea..Sometimes I’ll add an early vocal when I have a definite idea. At some point I send the Logic Pro file to Michael and he records drums, vocals and whatever else is needed for that particular idea.
Michael: We have gotten used to starting with a loosely arranged guitar and keyboard piece in Logic Pro that I add drums and vocals to. Then it goes back and forth between us until we both like it. We also split bass duties about 50/50 now. Lyrics can be written beforehand, some from decades ago, and sometimes created on the fly, in a stream-of-consciousness style. Those are the ones that don’t usually rhyme…
Do you have any more singles lined up in the near future?
Michael: Sure, though I am lagging behind on vocal parts for several tracks on which the instrumental parts are mostly done. But besides The Laughing Kind this month, we are excited about a pretty raw one called Wolfcrier which will probably be released next. We feel it harkens back to our straight-ahead post punk roots… the guitars kick ass.
Lee: Many songs are in the works and I can see releasing a lot this year, maybe one a month or so. If we thought people would listen to an entire album we’d do that gladly…
Dimmer Switch is a really unique sounding track. What/who influenced the track? What have you been listening to recently?
Michael: I don’t know what inspired Lee on this one but I just give myself over to what I’m hearing and never even aim for a style unless Lee is looking for a particular feel. But the concept of at least part of what you see being manufactured in your own head is sort of familiar ground for us.
Lee: Like most of our stuff we are not thinking about a particular genre. We’re just letting it come out and because we’ve been around a while and have many influences it comes out the way it does. For listening lately I like Morricone, Li’l Yachty, and MC5.
Do you have anything else exciting coming up over the next few months?
Michael: I hope so! We mostly take it as it comes. Sometimes a new direction will come out of nowhere. Then we see where it leads. But I am still more often than not surprised at Lee’s ideas. Then I jump into the song and that’s exciting right there. It’s not getting old – there’s an infinite number of sounds and words to play with.
Lee: Well, we’ve been talking about taking this stuff on the road but we’re not quite there yet.
Do you have any tour dates lined up for the UK?
Michael: Not at this point- but we rule out nothing.
Lee: Well said, Michael!
Any last words for the fans?
Yes – to those who get what we do and especially those who let us know – thank you! We appreciate all of you.