Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Jack Simchak evokes memories of the new-wave sounds of the ’70s and ’80s with his delicious brand of indie rock.
Jack sent us through his debut single Tonight, which offers a great insight into his fun retro sound. It opens up with a fun darting guitar riff with atmospheric guitar support, then big hits of drum lead us into a very Joy Division-esque instrumental section. Jack’s earthy vocals take over in a laid-back verse that feeds into a return of the riff.
The super-cool feel of the song is summarised by a section mid-way through where Jack’s echoey vocals come in over the riff, then drop into a laid-back guitar solo. Check the track out in the video below:
We had a chat with Jack to find out a little more, read on below…
GR: Who is Jack Simchak?
JS: “I am a singer/multi-instrumentalist/producer that grew up in Washington, D.C. and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.”
GR: You sent us Tonight to have a listen to – it sounds very cool! What should people be expecting from the song?
JS: Tonight was meant to recreate the sounds of late-70s, early-80s new wave music. The song is about partying with a love interest.
GR: How would you describe your sound to people that haven’t listened to you yet?
JS: “I am going for a retro, indie rock sound.”
GR: What influences you to write music? Any key themes or topics that you write about?
JS: ” I am constantly writing/recording music. It is my favourite thing to do in life. It’s just a compulsion that I have for whatever reason. I wouldn’t say that I stick to one topic. I just write lyrics that reflect the vibe of the particular tune.”
GR: Which bands/musicians are/have been your strongest musical influences?
JS: “I am inspired by all sorts of music. For this project, I am emulating bands like The Smiths, Joy Division, and The Cure.”
GR: What have you got coming up through the rest of 2019?
JS: “Both of the bands I was in broke up very recently. I’m going to focus on getting a really killer EP out this year and take a break from playing shows.”
You can follow Jack Simchak on Facebook and Instagram, and check out his music on Spotify and Soundcloud.