Emerging onto the Detroit underground scene as one of the most interesting artists in years, the Summer Pledge has cemented itself directly in the middle of the scene. Since the recent release of their debut LP “You are You” they’ve been running the gamut of Detroit venues and gaining quite an amount of attention from underground media. Bringing to light what is becoming quite a diverse and unique experimental pop scene within the city, The Summer Pledge combines a variety of interesting instrumentals with a powerful voice to create a mesmerizing breed of music. Our readers are aware of our opinion on the brilliance of The Summer Pledge, so here are their thoughts and feelings about the Detroit scene and where they fit into the mash. Also, don’t miss their upcoming show on Feb 12 at The Vail House with Lights At Sea & Idol And The Whip in Ann Arbor. You can also catch them at the Midwest Fest (The Mixtape) with Maps and Atlases, Cheap Girls, Prussia, and Loune in Grand Rapids on May 21.
Detroit Underground: How do you think your approach to your first album was different than other bands?
The Summer Pledge: When we started writing You Are You, we really did not have much of an approach. For most of us, it had been some time since we were last making music and we were just excited to be making something together with good friends. Once things became more cohesive and we started to see the bigger picture of our efforts, we definitely took more time than most in crafting this album.
DU: What kind of planning and production went into crafting You are You?
TSP: At the time, we demoed in our practice space in Eastern Market in downtown Detroit. We decided that recording at The White Room with our friend and recent band addition, Andrew Davis, was in our best interests. Andrew knew what we were trying to accomplish and he was easy to relate to and collaborate with. The White Room is now defunct – we had the honor and privilege of having one of the last albums come out of there.
DU: What is your take on the Detroit local scene and where do you see it heading?
TSP: There are many great bands in transitional periods and there are bands that have mastered their craft and are excelling and pushing boundaries, which is exciting to witness and enjoy. There are also bands that “play it safe” and regurgitate, which happens everywhere and eventually you learn to accept it or not care. It’s an exciting time to be a band from Detroit.
DU: Do you feel as though pop music in local Detroit is somewhat under explored?
TSP: Not at all. At this time, there is a ridiculous amount of good bands in Detroit. Specifically pop/indie bands. Bands that take pop elements and misshape them tastefully into a unique form. It would be great to see some more noise bands.
DU: What are your plans in the near future? Tours, upcoming albums, etc?
TSP: Just wrapped up our east coast tour with A City Safe From Sea. We are about ten songs into our next endeavor which is still yet undetermined. It feels like we are writing 4 different records. So maybe 4 EPs or a 2xLP rock opera! We’ve also been talking about writing a “fast” EP. The new year will see our long overdue Recurring Dream 7′ and You Are You LP. Hopefully a few festivals, extensive touring and maybe a new DIY show space(?)!
DU: Where do you think your music fits in outside of the Detroit scene, what defines you as a band and sets you apart from other pop/experimental outfits?
TSP: We’re not heavy enough to play with heavy bands and we aren’t poppy enough to play with pop bands. We kind of painted ourselves into a corner. Also, we tour.
