by F. Amanda Tugade
Naperville, Ill.--native Zach Porlier started Atom Poets, a power pop-influenced act, a little over a year ago. After the release of his LP "In a Little Bit" in June 2013 and countless shows in Chicago, Porlie--the self-proclaimed Weezer "fan-girl"--took to Facebook in August 2014 to say he was taking a little break. On the pursuit of his solo music and his current involvement in indie-folk-acoustic band Valaska, we at Vicarious Venues joined Porlier to talk about his newfound music adventure.
Vicarious Venues: You recently took a break from Atom Poets to pursue your current solo project and indie-folk band Valaska.
Zach Porlier: I did! It's weird how music works like that. Atom Poets has always been my outlet, and I am not really sure where I ever saw it going. Valaska is the band that I see as, this is what I'm working towards, because there's a magic to playing with two or three other people that your artistic sensibilities click with. I started a "solo" Zach Porlier project because I was bogged down with seven or eight acoustic songs, and I thought that I didn't know where those would fit with Atom Poets. But as I continue down that road, part of me realizes that Atom Poets and I are a bit inseparable, and the sound is gonna permeate either project, and perhaps it's a bit narcissistic to abandon the project I'm growing from a seed for the sake of my own name.
VV: You just played at the Sam Adams Oktoberfest and just came back from a show in Minneapolis with your band Valaska. How'd it go?
ZP: Heh, it was a great experience. Valaska has been touring regularly since February of 2013. We started in a Honda Fit driving around the midwest and slowly grew into what we're doing today. We haven't does as much this year apart from SWSW, so it was a much needed escape to Minneapolis. That city certainly is a beautiful place in certain ways, and we got to play with some great bands. The sound guy for the event had previously worked with us for their Brew and View event over the summer in Chicago, so it's always nice working with someone you're already comfortable with.
VV: It's not a secret that Atom Poets, Valaska and your solo project vary in sounds (from pop to indie-folk to acoustic). Where do you draw your music influences from? Are there times when the ideas and music writing concepts overlap?
ZP: Oh man yes. That's why I first toyed with the idea of a solo project. I grew up loving power pop music and old 50s and 60s pop songs. So the songs I wrote from maybe 13 onward were all trying to write catchy and energetic songs. That's what Atom Poets came out of. Then I started listening to more Moby, Bright Eyes, and Radiohead, and the sounds started changing, starting with more of an acoustic process. I always thought the idea of having, like, 10 different projects to work on would be exciting, but it gets challenging. Heh. I'm still just trying to write the perfect pop song. In terms of Valaska, that's definitely more of a group sort of atmosphere, so I can't speak much to that.
VV: For your solo project, what does your writing process look like?
ZP: Atom Poets and my solo stuff has a similar writing process. Nine times out of ten it will start with a guitar. Then I start trying to find a melody. Sometimes the melody comes to me first and I have to fit the guitar around that, but those days are few and far between. Then I sit down for the thematic elements of the song, and I try to figure out a title of subject matter first. The recording process is really where is takes a turn, and this is also where struggle for the solo project comes in. I'll record the really core basic track (vocals, guitar, maybe some rhythm) and then build from there. Oddly enough, it's in this process those songs start sounding like Atom Poets songs. Funny how that works.
VV: What are you most looking forward to on your Oct. 11 show at 27 Live?
ZP: Trying out new material. I've been playing many of the same Atom Poets songs over the past few shows I've played. This time, I have at least 4 new songs I'd like to spring on people and try and gauge the reception. It's a great way to find out what works and what doesn't. There's no better way to force yourself to get your stuff together than to play a show.
VV: Coming out with any EPs, LPs, etc. anytime soon?
ZP: Haha, these days I feel like I'm in perpetual album mode. There's definitely something coming out soon, but in what form will boggle me. The past two Atom Poets albums were definitely a learning process on how to record and what works and does not, so I definitely want to start using that knowledge. It started as a solo LP, but who knows where that will go. But yes. I guess that's the most succinct way to put that.
|| For more on Zach Porlier, like him on Facebook and check out his music on Soundcloud. Porlier will be performing on Oct. 11 at 27Live in Evanston alongside Phil Jacobson, City in a Garden and The Greenleaf Band. ||