Let me introduce you to the wonderful sounds of an amazing indie/folk Americana duo March To May which features Beth Wesche on harp & vocals and Darren Guyaz on guitar & vocals. Together they are taking the scene by storm with their infectious music that will whisk you away on an emotional journey through song. If you have not had the chance, check out their video for their stellar track, Embers which captures the raw honest emotion of a lost love. The video has peaked at the #1 spot on Yallwire.com’s Yallturnative category!
We had the opportunity to chat with them and are pleased to bring that interview to you here:
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Music Junkie Press: Thank you for taking the time to talk with us here at Music Junkie Press. This week you are gearing up for the release of your debut album. Can you tell us what everyone can expect from the new album?
This album is about journeys, and about transformation. To us, the idea of the water’s edge symbolizes this place between one thing and another, where the safety and familiarity of the shore is behind you. The horizon ahead is beautiful and exciting, but it’s also an unknown. It’s an interesting place to be, and one that asks you to confront a lot of different sides of yourself. You’ll see a lot of that on the album – explorations of the unknown, even when it exists in our own hearts.
Music Junkie Press: You two have created a great unique sound by bringing together guitar and harp, can you tell us how you came up with the wonderful fusion?
Serendipity, really; the first time we recognized there might be some musical chemistry between us, Darren was playing guitar and singing and Beth started singing along. That was the spark. Beth happens to be a harpist, though, and so bringing it into the mix was a continuation of a musical trajectory we were already starting to explore. Happily, the two instruments sound great together.
Music Junkie Press: How did the two of you meet up and form March to May?
We met shortly after Beth moved to Seattle. We didn’t know that we both played music, though – we discovered our musical compatibility on a trip to the coast with some friends. After that, though, things moved pretty quickly. We started testing the waters in January/February of 2013, wrote our first song together in March, and came up with our name and decided to move forward as a duo in May.
Music Junkie Press: You recorded your album at Bear Creek Studios, how did the recording go and working with such great talent there at Bear Creek?
Our time at Bear Creek was really magical. We were able to immerse ourselves in our music more deeply than ever during the recording process. Because Bear Creek is this beautiful little space out in the countryside, it felt like we could shut everything else out and let the songs become our world for the time we were there. And Jerry Streeter (our engineer/co-producer) and his team were just phenomenal to work with. We can’t wait to go back and record again.
Music Junkie Press: Falling Down is such an amazing song, can you tell us what your inspiration was behind that track?
Thank you! Falling Down is loosely based on a relationship one of us had. It was one of those situations where you meet someone and have a very deep connection, but even as you start to fall in love, you can already see the cracks in the foundation. You want so much for it to be otherwise, but in the end there’s no way to mend it.
Music Junkie Press: Your songs carry such a depth of emotion, was it just as emotional when you were recording?
It’s funny because the recording process is very different from playing live. But yes, we were pretty emotional. In some ways, that’s our job when we’re in the studio: to translate all of that feeling and intensity into a form that’s tangible, and repeatable, and playable by your speakers. Bear Creek and the team we were working with there also made it really easy to let go.
Music Junkie Press: What is next in store after the release of the album?
We’re working on a music video right now, and are also setting up a number of mini-tours around the U.S. We’re also looking into some international touring, and are hoping to be back in the studio soon. In short, lots of exciting things in the works!
Music Junkie Press: Will you be performing out here in California soon?
That’s the plan! We’re working on setting up a few West Coast tours right now. We’ll be posting details on Facebook and on our website soon!
Music Junkie Press: Okay, how about a couple off the subject questions… If you could go back to your 14 year old self, what advice would you give to yourself at 14?
Ooh. Probably “don’t worry, it gets better?” But seriously – we probably wouldn’t want to change much. We have this theory that everything in your life, both good and bad, builds you into what you eventually become. You can’t pick and choose your experiences and still end up in the same place. And we’re pretty glad to be where we are right now, making music and doing what we love.
Music Junkie Press: If we could peak into your Ipod, what artist or song might be the most surprising for us to find in there?
Hmm. Both of us really enjoy dubstep and electronica, so there’s a fair amount of that genre. That seems to surprise a lot of people. Beth also had a bit of a punk phase, and Darren likes a lot of hip hop. The music we play has a lot of folk and singer-songwriter elements, but the music we listen to is a pretty mixed bag.
Music Junkie Press: If you were to be trapped in a television series for a week, what show would it be?
Probably Grey’s Anatomy. What can we say? We love our city. 😉
Music Junkie Press: Lastly, we are very excited for the album release and hope to see you out on the road. Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience and your fans?
Thank you! We’d love to see you at a show! Our last words are: keep in touch. Seriously. Whether it’s following us on social media, signing up for our email list, or just dropping us a line to let us know what you think about our music. We’re real people, and would really like to hear from you.
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Their new EP The Water’s Edge was released last month and you can pick it up by heading over to their bandcamp page here: https://marchtomay.bandcamp.com/releases. Make sure to visit their social media sites so you can stay up to date on their latest news and for some West Coast Tour dates!
~ Marisol
Information & Links:
- Website: http://www.marchtomay.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marchtomayband
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarchtoMay
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/marchtomay/
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