By: Staff
Water Street delivers "Afraid of Forever," and the message goes way beyond when the song ends. A soft-spoken but beautiful vocalist, Julia Aiello opens this song. With a rolling sensation, we go from slow to quickly delivering vocals, laying the landscape for an emphatic message in this song. A quick break follows, and we are shifted to Dave Paulson joining the vocals, and the excitement of this song really kicks in. The vocal pairing of these two artists has a beautiful melody.
The lyrics deliver a powerful message of how big a word can really be. Dave told us, "For Afraid Of Forever, I'd say our 'thesis statement' is the fear of commitment, of coming to understand just how long forever actually is." I love it when a song brings a commitment to thought for our brains to attach to. We wake every morning and sometimes forget our place in the universe. The word forever will now never be overlooked when we hear this song! I think this is a wonderful way to make lyrics bond a listener to a band.
The musical arrangement is based on studio-performed instrumentation and little or no digital augmentation, giving a clean retro-style sound that builds and carries so beautifully. With a team of Brendon Gardner on Bass, Alex Kerssen on Keys/Saxophone, Eddie Woodcock (aka "Shredward") on Electric Guitar, and Connor Konecnik on Drums, they give this song incredible fullness and a crystal-clear performance. It's hard to believe that this current lineup has only been together for just about a year and created such a gem in that time. The quality of the recording gives you the sensation that you are in the room with these talented musicians. Shout out to the production and engineering for this super clear track. Please take the time to playlist, share, and listen to "Afraid of Forever" by Water Street. Dare we say the message can create a stronger forever, and centuries from now when we are all gone, this message will remain... forever.
Wait, there's more! We caught up with Water Street, an exciting and emerging group of artists, in “The Cage” to talk about music and much more.
Here’s how it went:
When did you start making music? Can you tell the fans something they might not know about you that is important to understanding why you create music?
Dave: I started writing music when I was around 13 or 14, but I didn’t really consider myself as a fully-fledged songwriter until our album All We Tried To Be, which I started writing in 2019. There was definitely a lot of trial and error, a lot of figuring out how to make music in a way that felt authentic and unique to us that took several years to understand (and we’re still learning)!
I feel like when I talk to someone about things in my life, I tend to go off on a tangent. Music has been this concise, creative outlet for me that tells our story in a way that other people can relate to it. We’ve even been writing with other musicians, friends, and family to tell their stories, so as I’ve learned over time how I can express myself through our music, I’ve also learned how to share that with others too.
● Julia: My first experience writing was in the fall of 2022 with Dave. I felt pretty useless, and was coming up with very elementary lyrics. Dave has been great at encouraging me to keep working at this skill, and now I think we make a great writing team.
● Sometimes it’s hard to come to terms with your feelings, and it's often very hard to say them out loud, or even seek help. For some reason, it’s easier for me to be vulnerable when it comes to writing a song, rather than telling someone the way I feel.
If you are a duo or a band, how did you form? Please tell us the band members' names, roles, and relevant instruments.
Dave Paulson: Vocals/Acoustic Guitar
Julia Aiello: Vocals
Brendon Gardner: Bass
Alex Kerssen: Keys/Saxophone
Eddie Woodcock (aka “Shredward”): Electric Guitar
Connor Konecnik: Drums
Dave: Connor and I went to high school together. We started playing music together in 2014 when Water Street needed a drummer who could fill in, and Connor’s been with us ever since. Julia, my cousin, joined us in 2022 after recording harmonies on All We Tried To Be. I had always known that Julia could sing, but she had such an engaging stage presence with how she performed, a tenacity that just brought so much energy to the band. And then Eddie, Brendon and Alex we all met at the start of 2023 through the wonderful internet. Alex and Eddie also went to high school together. We honestly didn’t know each other at all or anything about one another, but as a group we hit it off exceptionally well. Musically and personally. We say to each other all the time how it’s crazy that it’s only been about a year since we’ve started playing music together.
What first sparked the passion for you to create music?
Dave: When I was 10, I saw the movie School Of Rock, and it just completely changed my world. To me, it was mind blowing to see kids my own age playing music and performing. I knew pretty instantly that I wanted to be in that world; learning, making, performing, consuming, creating music.
● Julia: To be honest, creating music was never a passion of mine, performing was and still is. It’s where I feel most comfortable and where I have the most fun. Creating music was never a thing I thought I could do until I was invited into Water Street.
Can you walk us through your songwriting process and tell us where the inspiration comes from for this latest project?
Dave: I usually start with a short line, or a chorus. Julia pokes fun at me for referring to it as my “thesis statement,” like when we had to write essays in school. But it’s so true. You need to definitively know what message you want to convey to your listeners before you can build, design a good song. Every decision you make lyrically, musically about the song should in some way relate back to that core idea.
For Afraid Of Forever, I’d say our “thesis statement” is the fear of commitment, of coming to understand just how long forever actually is.
● Julia: Dave and I hop on many zoom calls, share a google doc, and type and delete words and phrases for hours on end.
Where do you create your music, ie, in a home recording studio or with a producer? How do you finalize your finished work, ie, self-mixed/mastered or another source?
Dave: We’ve been recording all of our recent music in Philly with our label, Free Dive Collective. We get all of the core tracks down as a group together and with our producer Tyler Ripley (who owns Free Dive Collective). Then, we’ll typically record the extra stuff (harmonies, cello, horns) on our own, send it back to Tyler, and he mixes/masters everything.
What was the most challenging part of bringing this project to life, from the initial idea to the final recording?
● Julia: Vulnerability was the hardest part for me. This song is about a relationship I was in for a little while. I was set back by fear of what people would think of the song. I’m still afraid of the reaction I might get from it. But I don’t want fear to stop me from expressing my feelings in whatever way I choose. There are a lot of pieces in this song, and they weren’t all recorded in one session. After the initial recording session we added more vocals, horns, and strings. Getting all of those pieces to be cohesive and fit the song was a major challenge, but it ultimately made the song unique.
Is there any part of your music's message or your personal purpose you feel fans should know more about? If so, what is that element, and why is it so important to you?
Dave: We’ve set this goal for ourselves with how we arrange our songs to write music in a pop genre that largely features live instruments. I feel like most of the prominent pop artists have a lot of production, backing tracks in their recordings and especially when they play live. Which is cool! It helps the song hit harder, feel fuller. But I think we’re trying to achieve the same thing with actual “acoustic instruments.” The drums aren’t their own beat/software track, the horns are actually 20-30 individual tracks that Alex and his also incredibly talented girlfriend Kendra recorded together on this song. Our goal is to make music in this pop-rock realm that feels and sounds real.
What has been the most motivating force in creating your music?
Dave: The practical answer? Deadlines. Having a schedule and goals for releasing music really forces you to dedicate specific time to writing and being creative in a really positive, efficient way.
The personally-fulfilling answer? It’s the endless goal of trying to be the first person to say something in a way nobody thought to before, or in a way that makes your listener feel heard and understood.
What part of the music-making process is the most stressful, ie the creation, the actual release date, etc?
● Julia: The most stressful part of the music making process is the part in between recording and release. Listening to the mix of the song, finding mistakes or imperfections, finding ways to fix them, seeing what new elements can work in certain spaces, and tirelessly working to get the song to a place where we can be proud of it from the second the song starts to the second it ends. We go through so many mixes and sometimes it’s hard to stop listening for what’s wrong and try to enjoy the song.
If there was one thing you could change about the music industry, what would it be?
● Julia: I wish there was a way to have small bands be seen on a larger scale. We hear the same popular songs on the radio a million times a day. I wonder what would happen if major radio stations would take an hour of their air time every day, and play music by indie bands. Just playing one new song on the radio one time can really make a difference for a group of kids trying to move forward with a career in music.
Where do you see your sound and artistry heading in the future? Are there any exciting new directions you're exploring?
● Julia: The six of us all have very different styles of music, and I like how we are creating songs that can fit in many different genres. We have a ton of song ideas that are totally unlike things that we have already released, and I am really excited to let those ideas run wild.
What instruments do you play? Which is your favorite?
Dave: I sing, and I play acoustic/electric guitar. Typically rhythm guitar since I’m also singing. But I mess around with piano, bass, mandolin, ukulele too. I’m definitely at my most comfortable on guitar, but I really like messing around with other instruments; having that kind of versatility is really great for breaking through the writer’s block moments!
● Julia: I don’t technically play any instruments, but I do dabble in the shaker business. I also juggle. That’s not an instrument, but I think it’s pretty cool.
Tell us about the last time you performed. Where was the show, and what was your experience like?
● Julia: Our last performance was at one of our favorite places called Montclair Brewery in Montclair, New Jersey. They have an awesome outdoor space and a stage for live music, and the Montclair community is so supportive of indie bands trying to make a name for themselves. It is a very creative and artistic town. Our friends and family come out to support us when we are there, but citizens of the town will come to enjoy our sound without even knowing who we are. I love being there because it feels like a safe space where we can experiment with our performance and the people that come to watch are always encouraging.
Have you ever been on tour? Can you tell us a little about the experience?
● Julia: We’ve traveled to Rochester, NY and Boston, MA for gigs. We have a van that we all pile into and head to these shows together. It’s always a good time when the van comes into play.
Was there ever a time when you emotionally felt, “I can’t do this anymore”? Can you tell us why this happened and how you found the strength to continue?
Dave: To be honest, I’ve been performing/writing for 13+ years now, and I still have one of these moments every couple of years. Usually it’s either working through the self-talk “nobody cares about our art,” moments, or like Julia said, the “how can I balance all of these different parts of my life in a way that’s healthy,” moments. And what helps me is, first and foremost, to recognize that I care about my art, and that in and of itself is enough. I love writing and playing music and the chase, the challenge of trying to do this for bigger crowds, bigger opportunities, and as long as that is personally fulfilling to me, nothing’s going to stop me from pushing on. The past year, two years have definitely gotten more challenging as we’ve had more opportunities with our music (while still also working full-time jobs). But with that, I try to remind myself just how incredibly lucky we are to have friends, families, and now a label who are invested in our vision, our music. It’s a privilege, especially in the music world, to even have the opportunity to work as hard as we do.
● Julia: Sometimes I look at our calendar and get a little overwhelmed by how busy a stretch of time is going to be. For example, we do not have a single weekend in August where we don’t have a gig or a recording date. Back in June when I realized this, I was immediately stressed out. I have a few other jobs and responsibilities that I need to take care of, and sometimes I fear that I won’t be able to get it all done. Then I remember how much fun it is to perform. That’s a feeling that I’m not willing to give up.
What advice would you give your younger self and why?
Dave: Don’t be afraid of failure. It’s inevitable. Learn to embrace making mistakes, so you can appreciate how you’ve grown from them. Also, wearing a beanie hat EVERY waking moment of high school isn’t a “cool fashion statement.”
● Julia: Stop worrying so much about what your adult life is going to look like. Live each day one day at a time, and work on the things that make you happy. I am very happy that things didn’t turn out the way that I once wanted them to.
What is your favorite song to cover?
Dave: I like when we play Baba O’ Riley by The Who. Or Everlong by Foo Fighters. It’s really fun to choose songs that I don’t think many people would expect us to have in our setlist, because it grabs their attention and makes them more willing to listen to our own songs.
● Julia: My favorite song to cover is constantly changing. At first it was Ain’t it Fun by Paramore, then it was Rather Be by Clean Bandit. My current favorite is Go Your Own Way by Fleetwood Mac, and it has been my favorite for well over a year now. Fleetwood Mac is one of my all time favorite bands and Stevie Nicks is definitely an inspiration.
What is your favorite quote?
● Julia: “I knew exactly what to do…but in a much more real sense, I had no idea what to do.” - Michael Scott (The Office)
How do you feel about social media?
● Julia: I like using social media to escape the real world. I turn to it to laugh and connect with people that I don’t get to see too often. I try to get off of it once it makes me too sad. I do think it’s a good resource to keep up with current events and stay educated on the state of the world - as long as you do your own research on what you see!
If you could go on any late-night talk show, which would it be? And based on present life, what would be the topic of discussion?
● Julia: I adore Jimmy Fallon and would do anything to sit and have a conversation with him on why in the world he would ever make a movie on the Boston Red Sox winning the World Series when he is a Yankee fan. Then I would ask him to do his best impression of me.
When you reach the stage where you have the admiration and respect of other already well known artists, what band or artist would you love to call and say, “Let’s go on tour together”?
● Julia: Billie Eilish or Lady Gaga.
● Dave: Lawrence
When you are earning a successful wage from music, what act of selflessness would you like to commit?
● Julia: I would donate to organizations working to combat climate change and help the environment. That is something that affects every single human being on this earth, and I want to ensure that I am leaving behind an environment that is healthy for my nieces and future generations.
What is the most motivating thing a fan or anyone has ever told you about your music?
● Julia: When the current members of Water Street had just been playing with each other for about six months, we were about to do a show where we had to enforce our own cover charge and ask people directly for money. It was something we had never really done, so we were only charging $5 per person. I was terrified that people were going to complain about having to pay that amount. Turns out that many people were telling us that our show was worth much, much more than $5. That was very relieving and nice to hear.
Dave: For me, it’s when we play somewhere live and a stranger compliments our original music. Most people who have no idea who the band is are coming to listen to stuff they’re familiar with (in a setting where you’re playing mainly covers with some of your own songs thrown in the mix). So to have someone go out of their way to tell us just how much they enjoyed listening to our own music when they were probably expecting to hear covers is just so reinforcing and encouraging. It makes me feel like we have something up our sleeve that no other band does.
Check out his latest release and listen to more of WATER STREET on Spotify & YouTube.
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