hree-piece indie rock band Goldpark is already looking ahead toward the end of 2022. At that point, they expect to drop a full-length EP – one following last-year’s debut titled Goldpark One. Leading up to that point, they released “Lady Lightyear” back in May to give listeners a preview.
Forming in 2019, Goldpark operates under the strength of collaboration and musical partnership. The group consists of Wes James on vocals, guitarist Andrew Smith, and drummer Kyle Neblett. Today, they’ve built a reputation as an act to watch among the Nashville alternative scene.
Released on Hazel Street Records, “Lady Lightyear” is an upbeat celebration of galaxy- and time-crossing love, the art it spawns, and the seemingly infinite possibilities woven throughout.
The track follows their collaboration with Bre Kennedy, titled “Killer Queen (What I Need),” which ended up on Lightning 100’s “Artist of the Week” selection.
As the group embarks on a tour finishing with the Bonnaroo festival later this month, we had a chance to speak with them about this release and their upcoming album.
How did the three of you start working together?
Wes and I [Andrew] met at a part-time job that we were both working in Nashville. We connected about music and I jumped in on a project he was in at the time.
Shortly after that, we started working on new songs together. Kyle and I had played music together for years when we lived in Memphis. He was our first call when we started Goldpark.
Your sound tends to have a post-punk meets electro-pop vibe. How would you describe your sound?
That’s interesting! We still scratch our heads as to what genre we’d call home. I think our sound tends to lean towards indie rock/pop.
We love Britpop from ‘90s/early 2000s, and I think we try to capture the same kind of charm we feel when listening to bands and songs from that era.
Your current single “Lady Lightyear” is about an intergalactic love affair. What inspired this theme?
If I remember correctly, the day we wrote “Lady Lightyear” with our friend Danen Rector, it took us a little bit to figure out what to write about.
We ultimately got to the point in the writing session where we looked at each other and said “What if…?” and then the rest happened. I think the idea of writing a song that could be the elevator pitch for a movie felt fun and new.
You collaborated with Jeremy Lutito on this track. What did he bring to its sound or vision?
Yes! Jeremy was a dream to work with. We had a pretty great sounding demo of this song after our writing session, but we knew we wanted to pull it into a sonic space that felt more like us.
Jeremy helped bring an energetic but warm sonic identity, specifically in the synths, to “Lady Lightyear” that we got excited about pretty quickly.
You’re a fairly collaborative outfit. How do you start writing and composing your songs?
Each song seems to have its own way of presenting itself. Sometimes we’ll get a really great song from a co-write (“Lady Lightyear” and three others on the new EP, for example).
Other times, Wes will write something and send us a demo, and then we work up the arrangement from there. In both cases, the songs always end up feeling like Goldpark songs because we’re all adding our own thing to the arrangement.
Your sophomore EP is due later this year. What do you have in store for listeners?
Yes! We’re super excited for this new music. It’s some of our best songs yet, and I think the flow of the EP is going to be really special.
As this EP drops roughly a year after your debut, how does it stand apart or represent an evolution of your sound?
I think people will definitely hear an evolved Goldpark on EP2. We’ve played a lot more live shows leading up to this EP, and I think we have a better sense of who we are and who we want to be.
You’re touring through June, including a stop at Bonnaroo. What should concertgoers expect at one of your shows?
Expect to become a Goldpark lifer after seeing our show.
Right now, you’re considered one of Nashville’s rising alternative acts. Where would you like to see your career go?
We’re super-excited for the rest of our year on the road.
Even though we’re a young band that’s still building up a fanbase, we consider ourselves very fortunate to load our gear up and play music with each other.
Career wise, we’d love to keep putting out great songs and play bigger and bigger rooms each year to people that enjoy them.
