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Get Out of a Rut With The Dares Latest Single, "No Way Out"

Writer's picture: BUZZ LABUZZ LA


California based alt-rock band The Dares releases their powerful and motivational single, "No Way Out."


Consisting of Ben Peterson, Matt Peterson, Brandon Shapiro, and Anthony Aguirre, The Dares have been back in the studio creating new tunes with new messages.


With the release of their single "No Way Out," The Dares touch on heavy topics of finding an escape through unhealthy habits while ending it off with a message of hope for days to come. Through bright alt-rock instrumentals and an uptempo beat, The Dares quickly find a place in the listener's heart with each detailed lyric. 


Opening with sparkling electric guitar strums and sharp vocals, "No Way Out" begins taking us through an emotional journey yet with high energy. The lead vocals chime in and portray such clear imagery of a broken relationship and wondering how this situation came about. The blistering electric guitar, steady bassline, and energetic drums take the track to a whole different story, one with a happy ending.


With a message of facing reality head-on, The Dares showcase soul within this track, especially with the positive message they've tied in. Through various tempo changes and complex transitions, The Dares exhibit these dynamic ups and downs that resemble life's unexpected turmoil. We're highly appreciative that The Dares have created a song that speaks volumes. "No Way Out" allows the listener to take a step back and reflect on how they cope with life's everyday stressors. 



What was The Dares main inspiration behind the creation of your optimistic and encouraging single "No Way Out"? 

This song is about feeling trapped in your current situation. It begins with the singer looking back on how he got there. "With a mouth full of strange words, I keep talking myself down." By the chorus, you're longing for an earlier time. "Let's take this back where we started new..." and ends with feeling trapped again "a way in, no way out". This song also touches on the theme of unhealthy escapism. 


Dares portray such a powerful atmosphere within the instrumentals on "No Way Out." Why did you choose these uplifting instrumentals rather than something more downtempo and reflective?

Lyrically, this is actually a dark song. My brother, Matt (drummer) had the finished song in his arsenal for a while. I remember first hearing it. I found the verse rhythm to be the most interesting part when he first showed me. He had the lines "With a mouthful of strange words I keep talking myself down" and I thought they were so powerful and haunting.  Instrumentally, the music does sound slightly optimistic. I've always liked it when songs with darker lyrics sound happier than they should. The music is supposed to feel redemptive and in contrast to the lyrics. The instrument/production choices were mostly due to our tiny budget to record the song. Our producer, Josh, drove to our rehearsal spot and set up some gear and we were off. This explains the simple production. If it wasn't necessary or easy to do, it wasn't there.  


We've heard that The Dares originally formed back in 2010. How has the band's music changed since then, and has your overall sound changed as well? 

My brother and I have been playing as "The Dares" since 1998. We were kids backs then so it's not quite accurate to say were we the same band then. We moved from Vermont to California in 2004, but the current lineup has been the same since 2010. Our sound used to be more pop-punk since that's what "The Dares" were before 2010. Since then it's become more alternative and closer to indie rock, though our roots still poke through.  The Dares have released a variety of singles as well as projects; how do you keep your listeners engaged in your music, and how do you lock in your loyal fans? 

For the most part, we've always been lucky to have fans who like our songs and not any particular sound. That isn't to say that our fan base hasn't changed but we've definitely held onto a core group. What has been keeping you all inspired throughout 2020 and what's next for The Dares?

2020 has been one of the strangest years, to say the least. It has been extraordinarily giving as far as things to talk about. We're always writing, so the new material reflects what we're experiencing. Finding inspiration hasn't been so hard recently. Since we can't perform live we are focusing on writing and really leaning into our releases this year.

 

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