Coming in hot from Waterloo, Ontario, the power-pop trio Death Party Playground highlights the lead single, "Make It Home," off their latest EP, 'The Good Years.'
Bandleader, singer-songwriter, and guitarist Kyle Taylor took advantage of his isolated 2020 and honed in on his songwriting and musicianship before recruiting bassist/vocalist Jesse Alarcon and drummer Matty Sawyer. Now, with Death Party Playground's greater emphasis on guitars, melodies, and Taylor's vocals, the band is letting everyone know that they're a force to be reckoned with.
Brightening our days is Death Party Playground's latest single, "Make It Home." DPP brings a fiery and anthemic tune to help listeners lose themselves in the band's exciting instrumentals and relatable lyricism. We adore the upbeat and lively feel of this single; it offers all the contentment and joy we can find in exhilarating power pop songs.
Hitting play on "Make It Home," the track kicks off with Kyle Taylor's gripping electric guitar that later drops into Death Party Playground's entire instrumental with a riveting bassline from Jesse Alarcon and pounding drum arrangements by Matty Sawyer. As Taylor begins to sing of waiting for someone day in and out, a thrilling organ begins to pounce through our speakers while leading us into the hook.
We can't help but completely lose ourselves in this invigorating single; we're feeling many nods to acts like Bruce Springsteen, primarily through the band's anthemic, feel-good, and cinematic arrangements. As they make their way to the outro, Death Party Playground's instrumental assemble and Kyle Taylor's inviting vocals deliver nothing but soul, passion, and life.
Find your groove in Death Party Playground's latest single, "Make It Home," now available on all digital streaming platforms.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, Death Party Playground. We love the exciting and passionate feel of your recent single, "Make It Home." Where did you find the inspiration to create this hit?
Make It Home came sitting at my kitchen table. I was working on extra parts for the songs on Little Joy at the time. Somewhere in there, I started playing the opening riff on my acoustic guitar, which moved quickly to the verse. I hummed a vocal melody along with it, and the rest came pretty soon after that. I think the song is just about trying to get to where you're going, all the while knowing the finish line keeps moving. But, despite that, you try anyway. We were just about to start production for Little Joy, so I must have had that concept on my mind a little.
Could you take us through your band's creative process when navigating the instrumental atmosphere for "Make It Home?"
I have the bones of a song already before it gets to the band. The chord progressions, main vocal melodies, and lyrics are pretty much worked out, but the structure of the song and any accompaniments are yet to be discovered. Most of that stuff comes organically just from rehearsing the song. It can tell you where to go on its own. When it's time to record, I'll finesse some areas, usually with the vocal harmony, and rediscover the song in the studio all over again. For Make It Home, I knew I wanted a lot of guitar on it. It just seemed like that kind of tune. I just ripped some lead over the whole song, ten times or so, and figured out where the sweet spots were after that. Also, my friend Paul Stouffer (just about the best organ player out there) was kind enough to lend his talents on this track. I think I told him not to hold back, and I don't think he did by the sound of it.
Would you say that most of your songs are lively, energetic, and engaging, similar to "Make It Home?"
I would say most of them are lively and energetic. I certainly hope everything is engaging! Make It Home crosses over into a bit of an Americana or 70's Rock kind of vibe, which isn't as typical of my other material.
How does "Make It Home" tie into the concept and theme of your EP 'The Good Years?'
Well, the title "The Good Years" can mean a number of things, but for this record, it's mostly about having an appreciation for a time in your life after that period has passed. The title track embodies the concept as a whole, while the other tracks serve as "memories" from such a period. Make It Home is about getting out from the grind and getting to where you've been trying to go. It's the start of something or, for this record, the start of "the good years." Now, I wrote all these songs separately from each other, but they made the album because they share common sentiments. It wasn't pre-planned, but once I put them together, it just worked.