The Madelines Are Reinventing Early-2000s Indie Rock And They're Just Getting Started

The Sparks Behind "Amy"

"Amy" came from a pretty personal place. I remember reading and watching Meet Me In The Bathroom at the time, so I was definitely inspired by early 2000s rock. I started writing it a few years ago and the first verse specifically goes back to when I was a teenager living away from home at this crazy boarding school.

I was trying to write about that feeling of being young and lonely and wanting some kind of connection, but I didn't want the song itself to feel heavy or overly sentimental. There's something I really like about putting darker or more complicated feelings inside a song that's immediate and catchy. I think that contrast is a big part of "Amy."

DIY Roots & Raw Influences

"Amy" actually started with me recording a lot of it on my own in our old practice space. It was pretty DIY and I wasn't necessarily thinking, "this is the first single from our debut album" while I was making it. I was just trying to chase the song and get it to feel right.

Influence-wise, I grew up obsessed with bands like The Velvet Underground, The Libertines, The Strokes, and The Beatles, and I love the atmosphere and kind of swampy, romantic quality of those early Growlers records. I think all of that is somewhere in our DNA, but we try not to consciously make something that sounds like any one of those bands. The other guys also bring completely different influences into The Madelines, which is what keeps it from just sounding like my record collection.

Looking Ahead: The Debut Album and Beyond

"Amy" is actually the beginning of our debut album. We have three more singles coming before the full record, and I'm really excited for people to hear how different some of the other songs are. I don't want us to get pigeonholed into one particular sound, and I think the album starts to show the different sides of the band.

We've also already been writing and working on what comes after this record, which has been really exciting. A lot of the debut was written by me before the current lineup fully came together, whereas the newer material is becoming much more collaborative. We have a great foundation, but it definitely feels like we're still figuring out what The Madelines can be, even though it's becoming more and more clear.

Catch Them Live

• September 3: Nightclub 101
• September 7: Hart Bar (Tea Fest)