The Sonic Artistry of Painted Young

The Sonic Artistry of Painted Young

New Jersey pop-rock trio Painted Young is ready to break out of their local music scene in an epic way.  They’ve opened for the likes of Drake Bell and SayWeCanFly – and now with the unveiling of their The Smallest Similarities EP, the band is ready to bring their superbly memorable songs to the world.  Highwire Daze recently interviewed the Painted Young trio to find out a whole lot more about this band on the rise and their sonic artistry.  Read on…

Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Painted Young, and how long the band has been together?
Chris: I’m Chris Santos and I am the lead singer and guitarist.

Bailey: I’m Bailey and I play drums.

Ray: I’m Ray and I play the bass.

Chris: The band has been around for a while. I started this project back in 2013, however we didn’t finalize this current lineup until 2019.

Where is the band based out of and what was the music scene like prior to the pandemic?
Chris: We’re pretty spread out around central New Jersey. I’m from Aberdeen.

Bailey: I live in Brick, right near the shore.

Ray: I live in Howell, former home of GameChangerWorld. RIP.

Chris: The music scene in New Jersey is always thriving. There are a lot of local bands and before the pandemic, there were always local shows to go to. We all met through playing shows around the local scene.

Is there any overall story or concept behind the EP title The Smallest Similarities?
Chris: The title is a lyric from our song “45 After Midnight.” It’s pretty much about how everyone has similarities between each other no matter how big or small. In a way, I feel like that extends to our individual music tastes. We’re able to find a common ground in the music we make, despite our different musical backgrounds.

Bailey: I feel like Chris hit the nail on the head. As the songs continued to develop, we all gravitated toward them lyrically because we all have experienced something along those lines. We also felt that others would relate as well.

Ray: Conceptually the EP is sort of a love story that starts out great, hits a rough patch, then you move on. It’s a huge blend of all of our musical influences.

Select two songs from The Smallest Similarities and what inspired the lyrics.
Chris: “Nothing But the Best” is definitely one of my favorites. It details an immense infatuation with someone but at the same time, knowing that you might not be what’s best for them or their happiness. There was a period where I learned to be more selfless when it involves love and this song came about during that time. Another favorite of mine is “O.M.G.” This one is basically about getting screwed over by an ex and finally liberating yourself from the drama that’s been holding you down. Ending a toxic relationship often hurts in the moment, but it will always get better in the long run.

Bailey: “O.M.G.” is what Chris said. Those lyrics were a collective idea between the two of us based on past relationships. Chris had lyrics that weren’t exactly working fully and I had teamed up with him on all my emotions on my last relationship. It was a great outlet to finally let my emotions out and I feel like you can really hone in on that here. The next one I’d say would be “45 After Midnight.” It talks about two people who care about each other and want to proceed with their feelings but they both understand it might not be for each other’s best interest.

Ray: Since Chris writes most of the lyrics he’s the one to ask. If I had to pick 2, I’d say ‘We’ve Stopped Time’ hits home the most. Telling the story of the memories with someone that truly stopped time in the moment that you’ll never forget. But ‘Sunset’ is the culmination of this love story. It’s about just taking all those memories and reliving them and just having a good time. It’s a real summertime anthem that you can jam to at a party, driving down the shore, or just to yourself in your room.

Who produced The Smallest Similarities and what was it like working with them?
Chris: Rob Freeman of Audio Pilot Studio produced our record and it was definitely a memorable time.

Bailey: The maple syrup god, Rob Freeman really dialed us in and made us comfortable. We were vulnerable and open to any suggestions to make these songs huge. I feel like we really achieved that goal.

Ray: Rob helped us really piece together the songs in ways we never imagined. Adding in layers of vocals, synths, and guitars and made the songs so full and huge. We can’t thank him enough for all the work put into it.

What could one expect from a live Painted Young show?
Chris: Whenever we play live, we try our best to be as vibrant as possible; whether it’s our energy onstage, our playing, or even our stage outfits. We want to give off as much motivation for the crowd to move around as we possibly can.

Bailey: High energy and a great time. Smiles across the stage.

Ray: After a shot and a beer, nerves are gone and it’s all energy.

What was the experience like opening for Drake Bell and SayWeCanFly and did you get to meet or hang out with them at all?
Chris: I opened for SayWeCanFly before the other guys joined the band. I actually played with him multiple times and it was always a fun time. Braden and I would hang out before and after our sets and it was pretty relaxing too. As for opening for Drake Bell, we didn’t actually get to see him a whole lot; which is fine considering the hot water he put himself in. What was most important to us was that we got to play one our favorite venues in New Jersey and we won over a majority of that crowd.

Bailey: The crowd was insane. They ate us up and it was a huge moment for us. It really gave us a taste of what we wanted and it continues to push us forward to get more.

Ray: One of the most fun shows I’ve ever had the chance to play. The crowd was in the palm of our hands, we owned the stage, and made a ton of new fans who can come see us as soon as shows start happening again.

If Painted Young could open for any band either now or from the past, who would it be and why?
Chris: I personally think it would be a fun experience to open for All Time Low. I’m also gonna throw a curveball and say Jonas Brothers, just because I think that dynamic would be interesting.

Bailey: All. Time. Low. Enough said! The energy, the influences, the fun.

Ray: Here’s the tour and someone please make it happen: Painted Young, Stand Atlantic, Grayscale, All Time Low.

If the music of Painted Young was a donut, what kind would it be and why?
Chris: I would say strawberry frosting with sprinkles. The flavors pop like our music pops.

Bailey: What Chris said but it has a creme filling.

Ray: Any donut at Uncle Doods Donuts in Toms River. Every flavor imaginable.

What do you hope the rest of 2021 brings for you, for Painted Young, and for the music scene in general?
Chris: I would love for our music to reach a wider audience so that we could play bigger stages.

Bailey: To continue to reach new listeners and hopefully play some shows since we haven’t in a year. Along with that, continue to work on expanding our music writing. This record made us come out of our comfort zones so I can only imagine what’s to come next from that.

Ray: Make it big across the pond. Europeans LOVE all music.

Any final words of wisdom?
Chris: Thank you for having us! We appreciate it so much! Be sure to stream our new EP “The Smallest Similarities,” available on all music platforms!

Bailey: Make sure to check out our social media platforms to keep up to date on future shows and content! Thank you again!

Ray: ‘Twas a pleasure! Thank ya!

Painted Young is:
Chris Santos: vocals/guitar
Bailey Hand: drums
Ray McGirr: bass

(Interview by Ken Morton)

Painted Young on Facebook