In Conversation With #272 - Be Safe
Be Safe unleash the latest release via Count Your Lucky Stars with their new album ‘Unwell’ - blending together something made for fans of Minus the Bear and Bention Falls.
Be Safe accomplish a rare feat in that they actually embody what their band name evokes- a feeling of safety that seems to wrap around you like a warm blanket during the middle of a snowstorm in winter while their music keeps you snug. With deeply personal lyrics that drive a story and a delicate soundtrack that paints each scene, Be Safe carry themselves with the pedigree of a band that has been there and is comfortable with their craft. Features members of Perfect Future.
They took a moment to talk to us about how the album came together.
Hey there Be Safe - how are you? So your album is out now - how does it feel to have it out there in the world?
Hello. This is Matt here. I’m doing well, I hope you are, also. I’m still riding the high from the album release show we played a few nights ago. I couldn’t have imagined it being better, it was surreal. The album being out is surreal, also. I feel like it was such a big part of my life for such a long time from conception to end. It’s strange. I think it feels nice. Scary, but nice. This is a loaded question for me, apparently.
Geoff: I'm doing kinda bad, winter is hard. Seeing the responses and having the record out though? That feels incredible, an indescribable level of joy. We've been more or less sitting on these songs for a couple years now and excitement doesn't begin to cover how it feels to share them. I love playing with this band and I'd do it even if no one ever heard it.
It is called ‘Unwell' - what is the meaning behind that?
Matt: The name of the record came naturally from the subject matter of the lyrics, and it shares its title with one of the songs. I’ve always battled depression, and I was, mentally, in a very bad place when I started writing for this album. The name “Unwell” was ultimately chosen because it reflected the way things were in my life, in general, and how I felt at that time. It really just felt perfect.
Where was it recorded? Any behind the scenes stories from the creative process you are happy to share with us?
Matt: This is kind of a fun question for me! The album was recorded at my home studio, The Warren, in Frostburg, Maryland. It was done over a weekend in May of 2023, with drums and bass being tracked on the first day, with the guitars finished the following two days. Vocals were done a few days later. We approached recording with the mindset of getting it done quickly to avoid option paralysis and overthinking. I believe this approach helped to give things a more natural sound, and when mixing the record, I took care to make use of natural reverbs and room sounds, aside from whichever reverbs were used when tracking. On the instrumental tracks, with the exception of one or two of Geoff’s additional guitar parts, there is very little if any reverb or delay added in post. Very basic, very natural and very open.
Geoff: That weekend we spent recording was one of the most creatively fun and physically stressful sessions I've ever done. Playing softly, I realized quickly, is an underdeveloped skill set for me. Matt is my favorite person to record with though, even before Be Safe. Finding tones and rough mixing with him is one of my favorite things to do.
What are the key themes and influences on the album?
Matt: When we had our album release show, I thought it would be special to take a moment before each song and speak a bit about the lyrical content and meaning behind the words. I did this in a manner that was off the cuff, but it allowed me to realize that a theme that runs across most of these songs is learning to accept and come to terms with loss. Whether that’s relationships, friendships, death, the theme seems to stay consistent. I hope these songs are able to help someone come out of a difficult time as a stronger and better person. Influence wise, it’s hard to say. I didn’t really sit down to write anything that sounded like anything else, I just wanted to do music that was more quiet and subdued, something to sort of softly fall into.
Geoff: Musically, I'm an entry-level hipster trash person. I like everything. I'm a sucker for 90s indie, slowcore, shoegaze, post-rock, math rock, etc. You name it. When Matt sent me the demos of what was to become Be Safe, I felt like I "got it" immediately. I really made an effort to serve the songs objectively as best I could. At the same time I have no problem admitting I found inspiration in bands like Slint, Death Cab For Cutie, Mogwai, Karate, Duster, and Sharks Keep Moving.
If the album could be the soundtrack to any film - which one would it be and why?
Matt: This is a tough one! I’m not sure I would be able to come up with an answer that would be satisfactory. I am a massive fan of David Lynch, but I don’t feel this would match any of his work. Maybe something from Tarkovsky? I don’t think that these songs have that subtle sense of creeping dread that lurks underneath either of those artists’ films. That said, when I listen to this album, it invokes images and feelings of winter. Maybe there’s something out there that someone can connect to that. I will leave this one up to the listener.
Geoff: Yeah, maybe Jodorowsky or Kurosawa? Some real Criterion shit. Or a really sad Ghibli film. I don't know, I just really want you to think I'm kino as heck. A24, hit us up baby.
Do you have a favorite lyric on the album - if so, which one and why?
Matt: This is also a difficult one, for me. I’m very self-critical. The lyrics are very vulnerable, and they were written in a way that is far less cryptic or metaphorical in comparison to what I usually write. They’re just bare and out there, and it might seem silly to say it, because it is my doing, but I find that very uncomfortable. However, I do believe that art SHOULD be uncomfortable. At least, the art that resonates with you. I’m not saying that the work I create deserves to resonate with anyone, or that I expect it to, but if I am making something, I am putting the whole of myself into it. I hope that makes an impact on at least one person. I can find comfort in that.
Now the album is out there - what next?
Matt: Shows, shows, and more shows. We’re hoping to do some light touring, at least until the summer, and play out as much as possible. Things have been great so far, so for the first time in a long time, I’m excited for the future. Thank you.
Geoff: Play as much as possible. Find like-minded individuals and explore the world's secret passageways. Conquer ourselves. Sleep on floors. Taste new and exotic cuisines. Bathe in an onsen. Avert our gaze from the abyss. Find meaning. Roll our boulders.
