By Deaglan Howlett | Posted Friday, October 1, 2021

Lightheaded is a three-piece dreamy power pop trio based out of Long Branch, New Jersey. Since first forming in 2017, more recently the band has moved in together and started hosting all ages shows at their house. This has proved to help strengthen a scene that has been affected by the pandemic and also encourage creativity in a safe, inclusive space. Having seen Lightheaded live a few times over the summer, I recently reached out to the group to learn more about them and find out when we can expect some new music. Thanks again, gang!

When did Lightheaded first form?

Lightheaded was first formed in 2017. The bands we had been playing in were coming to a natural conclusion. We met during what ended up being one of the last handful of shows for both of our bands... it made sense. We have a really similar music taste and vision for what our band should be.

Who are the group's main influences ?

Lightheaded’s main influences are countless. We love The Pastels, mark that down first. Probably the reason we started the band. They set the template. The Feelies, New Jersey legends. Got to mention them. Stephen used to live in the same town as Stan! Dwight Twilley and Phil Seymour, we love all the sorta one-off power pop bands! Felt are very special to us. Belle and Sebastian. The Clientele’s first couple records... The Go-Betweens never missed... just cut us off now, we’ll take up the whole interview.

How would you describe your music?

Lightheaded’s music sounds like people who care about music. Listen to us or watch us and you can tell. We take writing interesting arrangements with literary lyrics very seriously. All of our songs develop their own unique direction over time. Some might be based very much off of synth or a delayed guitar and sound almost shoegaze, but the next might be rooted in French pop and an acoustic guitar. Album #2’s got a tune inspired by Devo. It’s overwhelming how much we want to do and how many hats we want to try on.

How has the pandemic affected the group's songwriting, if at all?

The pandemic affected our songwriting a bunch of different ways, but most obviously, we all moved in together lol. Anthony has a reel to reel and we spent months working on tape demos when we couldn’t be in public spaces. Not much really went anywhere spectacular, but it was important. That period allowed us time to incubate and think of where our ideas were headed. Those demos afforded us a platform to sketch those ideas into meaningful songs we’re proud of.

Where has your inspiration been coming from lately?

Lately, our inspiration comes from our community. We have been throwing monthly gigs at our house and the artists that we have met have made the process comforting and satisfying. To play with new artists like Teen Idle, or 2nd Grade, a band building one of the best discographies in the game... It's proof that what’s happening right here in New Jersey is going to be stronger than it’s ever been. It’s fertile ground at the Jersey Shore. We want to be a part of the next new memorable NJ scene, like The Feelies were in Hoboken or Screaming Females in New Brunswick.

Favorite show you’ve played?

Our favorite show we’ve played... was in front of Susan Sarandon. Twice. Our hearts could only beat so hard...

Who did you work with for your upcoming debut EP?

For our upcoming debut EP, we worked with Adam over at Retro Media Studios in Red Bank. Sometimes, it’s hard for us to be in a room with people, but Adam has been beyond accommodating and flexible to our studio anxiety. If we want to sound good, we need to be in a good head space.

You can keep up with all things Lightheaded here!

Upcoming plans for the group?

Plans, plans, plans... we’re schemers. Always trying to have stuff cooking. #1 is the Season of the Lost EP. We couldn’t be more excited to show everyone the first batch. We are going to continue throwing monthly shows, throughout this year and next.

But seriously, most importantly, we just want to get our songs out to the public in an official form. We’ve been a band for awhile now and have a ton of songs that we’re really happy with, so we figure to release the full-length sometime in 2022 and play an out-of state tour, too. We are also looking for someone who slaps the keyboard around, so if you know anyone... send ‘em our way.