Homes at Night blur the boundaries between genre and generation with their alternative pop/rock anthems. It's a sound that's both nostalgic and modern, layered with organic instruments, synth-driven soundscapes, cinematic hooks, percussive pulse, and story-driven songwriting that nods to their Nashville roots while simultaneously pushing far beyond them. In their new single, "Midwest Summer", Homes at Night deliver a heartfelt rock song that delicately blends anthemic alternative rock instrumentation with hazy indie-pop melodies.
How did you come up with the idea behind “Midwest Summer”?
We started this idea with our friend Kevin Klein from the band Valleyheart. It started as almost a word association game with different phrases that conjured up some nostalgia for summer break as kids. From there, the song started to form: a story about two former lovers, possibly visiting their hometown at the same time as they try to visit their old stomping grounds and see if they can experience what they had/how they felt when they were younger.
Do you have a music video for it in the works? If so, can you give us an idea of what to expect?
We do! Before we left for the tour we had to fly to Denver to pick up our van and drive it back to Nashville so we started compiling clips of us traveling through the midwest. We wanted it to seem like it was found footage of a summer someone in the midwest. Very DIY and nostalgic, almost like home videos.
If you could have the song used in any piece of media (tv show, movie, video game, etc.), what would it be and why?
I think this song would be perfect for some Boyhood-esque indie coming of age movie. It just has this driving, sunny day, singing along type of chorus that feels happy and sad at the same time. It feels like the good kind of sadness you get when you know the moment you’re in is one you will look back on and cherish.
Your music has a very nostalgic quality to it. How did you find your sound and how do you think it has changed over time?
I think we have always listened to and strived to write songs that make you feel a familiarity to some degree. We write about very personal things which bring out the emotion that is attached to them. Also, we both grew up listening to emo and slow core bands so those influences feed that nostalgia as well. I think it evolves in line with how we evolve as people. The more we change and grow and have new realizations the more it feeds into the music. We just try to be as honest as possible with where we are when making a record.
What is your writing process like?
It varies, but most of the time it starts with just an idea on an acoustic guitar. We both have a heavy hand in the production of our records as well so the demos usually evolve into what the master becomes as opposed to completely starting over. Lyrically we have always pulled from things we feel or have experienced in our own lives and elaborate from there so it's a pretty bare bones approach to writing.
Do you have a favorite song you’ve written? If you do, why is it your favorite?
For me personally (Hank) I would say "Help You Unpack," just because it came from such a vulnerable place, and I love the way that song goes from quiet vocals and acoustic guitars to this massive guitar solo outro.
Who, or what, has most influenced your music and artistic style?
There are plenty of artists and songwriters that we have pulled inspiration from but I believe the most notable inspiration is the music scene and community we are surrounded by here in Nashville. There is so much talent and true artistry here that promotes people to do what they do best the best they can. I think this city and our peers have pushed us to be true to us which is priceless.
What are you listening to currently?
Here is a playlist of what we’re digging right now :)
Listen to Homes at Night's single "Midwest Summer" now.
