Pathos, Pathos

Recently, photographer Christopher Garcia and I paid Orlando indie rock quartet Pathos, Pathos a visit while they were practicing for their EP release show. He brought his camera, and I sat in the corner and watched. Work hard. Play hard. Here are photographs from that session, along with my thoughts on Pathos, Pathos’ debut EP, Familiar Homes. Enjoy.

The sounds on Familiar Homes are like a bite of out a sweet, crisp apple on a beautiful day. Matthew Walsh’s sugary vocal melodies ring throughout these songs, weaving in and out of the light-as-air guitar lines. Simply put, these songs are pleasing to my ears.

So there’s sweet, let’s move on to crisp. All of the instrumentation on Familiar Homes, like the guitar lines I mentioned, sounds phenomenal. As a live band, Pathos, Pathos has chops. I’m glad that talent shines through on the recordings. On songs like “Tiger” and “Speak In Tongues,” each instrument is clear and pops in its own way. - The Vinyl Warhol

Orlando based Indie rock band Pathos, Pathos recently released their first single, “Tiger,” off their upcoming debut CD, Familiar Homes. The pop-flavored song features the band’s signature shifting tempos coupled with a smooth, flirty vocal.

“To me, ‘Tiger’ has kind of a double meaning,” said Matt Walsh of Pathos, Pathos. “It really has to do with somebody just having that ‘what the hell am I doing with my life’ moment, just taking drastic actions and doing things you probably shouldn’t be doing. The second meaning tells more of a story. It’s from the point of view of a therapist being seduced by a new patient. Most of the lines throughout the songs have double meanings. I’m very interested for people to listen and to hear their thoughts on their meanings.”

The Orlando-based Indie rock band’s music has a mercurial, complex sound. It unfolds layer by layer with repeated spins and when added to their spirited, no-holds-barred live performance, it is undeniably compelling. “I like to think that we sound simple on first listen but when you go back and really listen, you’ll find that there’s more, in the music, in the lyrics, in the song as a whole,” said Walsh. “I think that people take something different out of our songs on every listen and take more out of our performances every time they come out and watch us. We like to have fun on stage. That’s an important part of our live performances. It’s not always about hitting every single note perfectly, but more about giving the audience a fun and exciting show that can easily draw them in.”

“I really like to hope that people take away something different every time,” said Walsh. “I hope that they listen and are able to throw themselves into that person’s shoes, whoever ‘that person’ is, and understand what they’re feeling. It’s like reading a book for a second time. You always notice those little things you never previously picked up on and sometimes it’s those little things that make it so much better.”

The members of Pathos, Pathos cite a variety of influences behind their sound from Miniature Tigers, Death Cab for Cutie, Manchester Orchestra and The Spinto Band to Freelance Whales. Walsh’s main musical influence is Manchester Orchestra’s Andy Hull, “There’s just something about his songwriting that captures you and I strive to do the same.”

Their musical inspiration flows from all facets of life. “All of our music/lyrics are all very relational, and I mean that in any sense,” said Walsh. “Anywhere from joy shared between two people to betrayal and even death. I like to write from the point of view of those on the receiving end of those emotions, not just personal experiences.”

Familiar Homes will have seven songs, including “Tiger,” which was just released on Bandcamp. The band has been working on the CD since last August, dealing with studio changes and other delays along the way. “It’s called Familiar Homes because it deals with a wide spread of emotions that we’ve all felt at some point or another,” said Walsh.

The Orlando band, Matt Walsh (lead vocalist, rhythm guitar), Austin Nesvacil (bass), James Murphy (drums) and Frank Jesmar Palencia (lead guitar), formed in January 2014 and played their first show a month later. They are planning a special house show to celebrate the release of Familiar Homes on Feb. 28. - Axs