The Shrubs Unveil the Electric New Track "Fall Behind" and Connect on Their Creative Journey
- STAFF
- 1 day ago
- 12 min read
By: Staff
“Fall Behind” is a bold, electrifying masterpiece that captivates with every beat, an absolute triumph.
The Shrubs have just dropped "Fall Behind," a track that’s as exhilarating as it is hypnotic, a song that will make you think, move, and reflect all at once. We spoke with the band’s chief architect, Miguel, to get the inside scoop on this dynamic departure from their signature melancholic sound. If you’ve been captivated by the lush, atmospheric textures of their past work, prepare to be pulled into a whirlwind of punchy drums, shimmering guitars, and a hypnotic vocal flow that feels like it’s floating just above the earth.
In our conversation, Miguel opens up about the personal experiences that gave birth to "Fall Behind," and how the song’s title speaks to a quiet, yet powerful, divergence between two souls. He reveals how the track was years in the making, evolving from early drafts into something rawer, deeper, and more intentional. In typical Shrubs' fashion, the process was uniquely DIY, crafted in the comfort of their home studio using vintage analog equipment, which added an unmistakable warmth and subtle grit to the final product.
We also delve into the dynamics of their ever-evolving sound, especially with the addition of Sophie to the group, whose vocal range has allowed them to explore new melodic heights. What emerges is a thrilling fusion of old and new, intimate and expansive. And as always, The Shrubs’ visuals aren’t just complementary but part of a larger, free-form artistic expression that adds layers to their sonic world.
But "Fall Behind" isn’t just a song, it’s a reflection of their growth as musicians and people. In this conversation, Miguel opens up about his evolution as a songwriter, his love for both music and the visual arts, and the undeniable pull of creating something true.
Keep reading for more behind-the-scenes insight into their latest release and the journey that led to it.
Here’s how it went:
Begin Interview:
Hello The Shrubs, we’re thrilled to have you here for this interview! We've had an amazing time exploring your music and diving into your creative journey. Now, we’re even more intrigued to get a deeper look into both your brand and your personal and professional inspirations.
The opening of “Fall Behind” is incredible. The dynamic flow and chiming guitars, combined with the upbeat and punchy drums, immediately catch your attention and feel awesome. Then, the vocal flow and rhythm feel angelic and captivating, literally leaving you in a state of hypnosis. We loved this song!
Q. When it comes down to the meaning behind “Fall Behind,” what’s the backstory behind why you created it, and how does the title fully express the meaning you had in mind?
A. Well, the meaning is a bit personal actually! It is about a specific situation in my life that I could see wouldn’t have a “happy” ending. To a degree some lyrical liberties were taken when it comes to specifics, I like to write in a veiled or slightly obscured way, but yeah, it has a story…I think the title is an apt one, If you think of relationships as a timeline, we have moments or months or possibly years of convergence with another being, then you usually diverge at some point, so in a way they have “fallen behind,” at least from your point of view, but it's really just a divergence.
Q. You mentioned that "Fall Behind" marks a departure from your previous, slower and more melancholic offerings. What was it about this moment in your music that called for a more dynamic and upbeat approach?
A. I personally just wanted to branch out and play something a bit faster, especially since some of our more relatively “popular” songs were the slow, melancholic numbers, I definitely didn’t want to become beholden to that, like, I guess this is our “sound” now or something! So that part was a deliberate choice. I also paired it with those particular lyrics purposely. I always enjoyed those types of artistic dichotomies in other songs I like. The Pixies would do that a lot early on lyrically….I like it when that is used in film as well…
Q. Your recording process for this track involved using vintage analog gear in your home studio, Flowers on the Wall. What role does that old-school, analog feel play in the final sound of the song? Do you feel it connects you to a specific time or era in music?
A. I think the whole analog vs. digital thing has some very valid pros and cons on both sides of the debate….I personally love analog audio and video formats,I recently just bought the three original Star Wars films on laserdisc, but I will admit it is a bit subjective..for our purposes tho, I used it for two different reasons. There is a certain compression and “softening,” of the drums in particular, when you slam it onto some magnetic tape. With that in mind, when recording the drums I used our nice, early 80’s TEAC reel to reel machine on its highest i.p.s. settings to preserve the overall fidelity. Conversely, I used a cheap Akai cassette machine (also from the 80’s) paired with some 30 year old cassettes to record most of the lead guitar parts. I really like that wow and flutter that comes with recording on old, damaged tape. In both cases the analog methods were used almost more like an effect or filter, one to enhance and one to detract…I do think that there is a certain nostalgia factor that comes into play that may be hard to put your finger on. Since up until the early 90’s, everything was recorded on tape, there is an equalization and feel that just comes with that that is often missing in modern digital recording. So it may in a very subtle way remind people of a certain time or era. In this case though, the analog cassette method I use had a really big effect on the outcome, once you listen for it you can definitely hear that “something” is happening to the guitars, vibrato-wise.
Q. Miguel, as the chief songwriter and producer, how does it feel to have a project like "Fall Behind" come together over several years? Was this a sort of necessary timeline, or did other forces come into play?
A. I do think it was very necessary, the original versions were very saccharine lyrically, so the song as a whole suffered from a lack of soul and real meaning. The years of revisiting it over and over also gave me time to really hone down the weaving guitar lines, and even the interplay between the bass and drums. I think I’ve also grown a lot as a lyricist over the course of the inception of Fall Behind to when it was time to actually record the vocals, so there is just a lot more focused intent overall really.
Q. In a time when DIY recording and production have become more accessible than ever, how does your commitment to keeping everything "in-house" influence the sound of The Shrubs? Do you think there's a specific energy that comes from being your own producer, mixing, and mastering?
A. For someone with my personality type, definitely. I actually enjoy spending a day setting up microphones and testing them, moving them half an inch and testing again etc. to get that guitar amp tone I want or a certain snare sound. I also like very atmospheric production, lots of virtually inaudible sounds and layers that are really there to create “feel” more than sound, I like to “play” the studio like an instrument. I notice in most rock recordings, especially indie rock, a more stripped back production style seems to be favored. There are a lot of exceptions, Foxes in Fiction and Tame Impala being a few, but I suspect it could be because of budget reasons, it takes a LOT of time to do that, and studios charge by the hour….even the mixing and mastering part I enjoy, the mixing part especially can really alter the way a track is perceived, so it’s nice to be able to shape your art from “idea” to “presentation.”
Q. How does the decision to bring Sophie into the band in 2022 impact the sound or dynamics of the group? What does her role as a vocalist bring to the music that you hadn’t previously explored?
A. Well, she's a great singer so that's always a plus in a vocalist! Lol. Seriously though, I’m able to write with more dynamic range when it comes to melodies and crafting harmonies, since I know she will be able to handle it. I’m a vocalist on some of our tracks, but I’m much more limited than she is, so it’s nice to just have that freedom. It’s like a wall blocking a whole new realm of tone and color had a door installed in it overnight, and with that came a new palette emotionally that can be used if the song dictates it.
Q. How does the visual side of your music (album art, video concepts, etc.) play into the overall experience of a song like "Fall Behind"? Do you see the song and its visuals as complementary, or are they separate expressions?
A. They are complimentary, but typically not in a narrative sense. There is a bit more of a “free association” vibe to our visuals. I think the best art is opaque and inconclusive and can have many viable interpretations. By its nature, a narrative driven visual element can really narrow that range of interpretation down.
Q. Being from Houston, a city with such a rich and diverse music scene, how has your hometown shaped your identity as a band? Are there particular aspects of the city that influence your sound or the way you approach your music?
A. Well, while I and the rest of the band are from Houston, I spent my formative years as an artist/musician in Seattle, which has a much more open minded approach to creativity. There is a very large multi-faceted artistic community in the Pacific Northwest that I would argue could rival any in the world really. Those years had a vastly larger tangible impact on my writing than Houston ever has unfortunately. It also was where I really became interested in the whole DIY method of working, as I was around so many other artists who were doing the same thing. I think Houston is really great at making you feel isolated, which sounds like a negative, but I think I thrive on the introspection that comes with that isolation. So in that way Houston has shaped our sound, but not in the way other musicians get from their environment..like the “midwest emo” or the “Detriot-rock” vibe.
Q. You’ve been involved in creating music for commercials, like the “One Wheel” electric skateboard ad. We saw it and it made us want to go camping! The essence of your music is so down to earth, and we felt this combination was absolutely perfect. How does it feel to have your work featured in something like this, and how was the connection made to hear your music as a possibility for this project?
A. The story behind that is full of irony! The track that was used, “Sunflowers” was written as a very literal “anti-commercial.” Sunflowers are hyperaccumulators, meaning they naturally absorb heavy metals and radiation in soil, leaving behind clean, healthy soil. When I learned that, I imagined that at some point in the future, once mankind has kinda reached the inevitable and destroyed themselves, that the earth would want to heal itself of all the toxins that we left behind. You know, restore the natural balance of things. Hence the chorus of “we grew sunflowers in the street”....In a very dystopian vision I mentally pictured overgrown, nuclear charred city scapes just covered in sunflowers. So for them to choose that to use in a commercial was kinda funny to me. It definitely wasn’t written for that purpose, quite the opposite actually! It was cool and unexpected to have any song used in an ad, and I love that the whole thing was filmed with 8mm, so it was definitely up our alley. It’s just funny that they chose that song.
Q. Miguel, as someone who has been a constant member throughout the band's evolution, what have you learned about yourself as a musician and a person since The Shrubs first started? What has surprised you the most about this journey?
A. I’ve learned that I can be difficult to work with! Lol. I think the most surprising element was just having an organic fanbase build around our music, It still is just so surprising to me when people come up and say they checked out some of our songs and they really like them, I think I was always around so much indifference that it feels almost like something is “wrong” when someone likes them!
Q. What was the most challenging part of bringing this project to life, from the initial idea to the final recording?
A. I think I could always tell that there was a good song in there, there being the original drafts/versions of the song, but for years I just couldn’t coax it out. It reminds me of that Michelangelo quote, about the statue already being in the block of marble, he just had to uncover it? I would chip away at it, but could tell I wasn’t making real progress towards what it could be potentially. It’s rewarding because we did finally get it right. There are quite a few tracks we’ve written that were left hanging at the altar because I couldn’t get them to where I knew they could be…at least not yet…
Q. Your music has such an energy and power that it really captures the audience’s attention. Since it also feels so organic and authentic, can you tell the fans something they might not know about you, why you create music, and where all this creativity stems from?
A. Hmm, there is probably a lot they don’t know about me, not sure we have enough room for that! Lol. I think the reason the music feels more authentic comes from a maybe atypical reason. I did take classical guitar, violin and music theory lessons as a kid, but my real passion was in the visual arts, drawing and painting etc. I was fairly good I would say, they had me painting murals on the high school walls instead of having to sit in art class with everyone else etc…to be fair, they did have me paint the boys restroom as a sort of “proving ground” first, lol! Anyway, I moonlighted very briefly in an art studio in Seattle, and quickly saw how the visual arts was not a meritocracy whatsoever, more of a social club, which kind of poisoned the whole scene for me. So I switched mediums. I still look at myself as a “painter” or a visual artist if you like, but the medium is music now instead of acrylic and oils. I know that's a bit abstract, but I can explain…in the visual arts it is perfectly acceptable and quite normal to go into a gallery and look at a painting, immerse yourself in the artists palette and brush work and subject matter and it is up to you to figure out what they are trying to say or not say, usually given very few clues outside of a title maybe. Either way, unless a piece is a commission or commercial work, it is very normal for a painter to paint how they see fit and have almost unlimited freedom to express themselves and not really think about an audience or what they will think unless they want to limit themselves to a certain theme or the work is part of a larger series etc. Whereas it seems a lot of musicians, not all, but a lot are almost trained to write not only for an audience, but even the scales and tempos and instruments have to adhere to a genre based guideline to fulfill an unseen audience's expectation. All of a sudden there is a set of rules, and a right and wrong way to create that is just all so limiting. Even the recording process has a whole set of rules if you want to be taken seriously. For comparison there are many famous works of art painted on canvas, leather, walls, driftwood etc. that are all held in high regard. I think that is probably the difference with us, I think of myself as a painter really, miscast as a musician! Lol. I do find it hard to work with a lot of musicians, not because they aren’t good or talented, we just seem to have a different method and intent when creating. I guess it boils down to expression vs. entertainment, and what your motivations are. I think my reasons for creating are a bit harder to pin down…Its a very compulsive thing, like a fountain of anxiety builds up if I don’t work on something everyday artistically, either writing or recording…I feel like I’m always underwater holding my breath, and the only time I can come up for air is when I’m creating something…so I’m not sure what you would call that..lol.
Q. What do you want this song, “Fall Behind,” to say about you as artists right now?
A. I think the fact that so many people seem to like it is really cool, there is a certain amount of validation that comes with that, even if that wasn’t what you were looking for. That may be the hardest question you guys have asked so far actually!
Q. The Shrubs, it’s such a catchy and cool name. What’s the story behind how you chose it?
A. That's actually kind of funny. At one point Sophie and I were co-workers. At work they were playing a motivational video and the guy was like, “not everyone is meant to be an Oak, some of us have to be Shrubs, but dang it, be the best Shrub you can be!” I thought the whole thing was funny in a way, and I liked the mental imagery that conjured up, so I took it and ran with it!
Q. The Shrubs, we can't thank you enough for sharing these intimate details! So, what's next? Can you give us the inside scoop on your upcoming projects and what fans should be excited about? We'd love the readers to hear the news directly from you!
A. There should be an album coming at the end of next year I think? We have a few tracks already recorded for it. Stylistically it's hard to predict really, we never really set out with a road map when it comes to writing, but that keeps it interesting!
The Shrubs, thank you so much, we appreciate you taking the time to talk to us!
End Interview