McAllister's Rise to the Top
Based in Fort Worth, TX, the pop-rock band McAllister is fairly new to this scene, with their debut single having been released in 2017. However, they’ve managed to rack up a loyal following in their short time on the rise, proving that they’re not messing around. McAllister have just released a brand new single called “Come Back Home,” so I chatted with the lead singer Ty about the single and plans for an upcoming EP.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never listened to you?
Energetic, passion-filled rock/pop with a curious, longing, & gentle heart to it. Songs about life, love, light, & darkness.
Are there any plans for an album/EP to be released this year?
Somewhat secret plans. Extended Play is a potential play we might play. Five songs this year is our hope. All-new songs. And then after that, one more with five songs, next year. That’s the plan! Kickstarter will be our friend with these dual-ep’s. Couldn’t be more excited to partner with our fans on that!
If you were to do a cross-country tour, who would you love to bring along with you?
If we’re talking practically, we would love to team up with THE WLDLFE, Jet Black Alley Cat, Hardcastle, MILKK, DBMK, Honest Men, etc. If we’re talking about a dream world, I would literally die (& we’d have to call the tour off) if we could open for The Killers, The 1975, The Japanese House, Coldplay, Bad Suns, or D.I.D (UK tour with D.I.D would be a dream. They’re incredible, but somehow not very famous).
Did anyone, in particular, inspire you to write the new single?
This song is a take on the story of the two sons in the Bible, particularly the prodigal son. It’s a song from the perspective of a creator that loves His creation with an unrelenting, unstoppable love.
The past singles that you have released seemed to have cover art that was similar in style; why has this style changed on the cover of the new single?
Honestly, it’s just a new era for us. Four songs in, it’s just been a project. We’re settling into who we want to be as a band. This new cover art represents that new direction. Dark and broody, yet hopeful, with a pop sensibility & just a sprinkle of pizzazz. Chris Hardy is our design, photo, & video phenom. He is working with us on honing in our brand. It’s definitely a work in progress, but we’re going somewhere with it.
Is there a certain theme you’re thinking of doing for the album/EP?
Whoa! It’s like you knew I’d say yes to the earlier question. Lyrically speaking, it will remain a pouring out of life through my eyes. With the songs I am writing currently, the first EP is likely to have the overarching theme of somewhere between ‘What the eff are we doing on this planet?’ & ‘Someone put this thing in motion, didn’t they?’ A song I recently wrote called “Wild Love”, which will almost certainly be on the first EP, is me telling God I’m fearful that I might be on the outs with Him. A song that is me just working on coming to terms with why anything is. Excited about this EP, it’s gonna be poured from deep within our hearts, for sure.
What artist inspires you the most when you write songs?
Lyrically, Jon Foreman. Jon Foreman is the most prolific songwriter I know. We write in very different styles, but his songwriting, lyrically, is everything I aspire to be. Honest, candid, painfully blunt. Such beautiful words. Musically, I’d say that Coldplay & The Killers inspire me greatly. Mostly melody-wise. I find myself writing a lot of complicated vocal melodies with large jumps like Chris Martin of Coldplay.
Lastly, why is it so important to listen to smaller artists like yourself?
Do you want to be part of something bigger than yourself? I know that I do. This is why I personally love supporting smaller artists (music, photo, video, writers, paints, etc.). I love seeing the process of an artist with raw talent transforming into a completely-at-home vessel for the art that has been placed within them. Accessibility is also a beautiful thing. It’s a really cool opportunity to be in on the ground floor of a movement. Music is POWERFUL. It is so powerful. Practically speaking, I AM ALIVE BECAUSE OF MUSIC. I know for certain that I would have succumbed to depression in my younger years without music. Let’s be shoulder deep in music. Let’s support each other. Let’s be friends. Big artists are great! I love listening to bigger artists, I love the production-value, & the level of quality they put out is my aspiration. But the JOURNEY is so, so beautiful. It is a beautiful thing. I love adventure, & supporting small artists is an adventure.
McAllister’s latest single “Come Back Home” is available to stream/purchase here: http://smarturl.it/my8tyl. If supporting smaller artists is also important to you, be sure that you follow them on social media @weareMcAllister.
Hosted by: Faith Logue
Edited by: Meg Clemmensen