Press play on “Be the Change” by the New York alternative band Friends At The Falls, and you will picture yourself dancing in an open field at a music festival. Friends At The Falls cites this idea as part of the story behind the new single. Band members Jake and Matt recall, “At the time, we were both looking to write an upbeat anthemic song, with a chorus that a crowd of fans could scream back at us.” We can’t praise them enough for capturing the feeling of endless summer and a carefree atmosphere in a song.
Best Friends and Band Mates
Jake Stam and Matt Montgomery are lifelong best friends turned band members out of Croton Falls, NY. Jake went to school for audio production and began taking music and songwriting seriously after high school. Upon asking Matt to join him as a collaborator, Friends At The Falls was born in 2016.
Friends At The Falls began releasing Alternative Rock/Indie Pop music as a duo in 2018. Since their debut, the band feels they have improved their production and songwriting. After drawing inspiration from artists such as The Killers, Coldplay, and Springsteen, they now pride themselves on their original sound.
Quick Q&A On “Be the Change”
POETYDANSLARUE: Can you discuss the story and writing process behind “Be the Change?”
Friends At The Falls: “At the time, Jake took inspiration from M83 and the idea that you can use your voice as an instrument. Jake made the “yell” sample in the intro and wrote the chord sequence on a synth. We were both looking to write an upbeat anthemic song, with a chorus that a crowd of fans could scream back at us.”
PDLR: Is there anything special about this song you want to share with fans?
FATF: “We wrote the song two years ago and waited until it felt right to release it. We ended every show with it, and we always received an overwhelming reaction from the crowd whenever we performed it. It’s the song we’re most proud of and the one we want people to know us by.”
PDLR: How do you see this song fitting in with your current and future
discography?
FATF: “Our musical genre drifts somewhere between alternative rock and indie pop. This is the most “alternative rock” song we have, but we hope to have more songs in this direction with future releases.”
PDLR: Do you have plans for a visual or another campaign for “Be the Change?”
FATF: “The music video came out on July 12th (watch below). As far as other visuals go, it’s a lot of desert vibes and mirrors, focusing on one’s self-desire to “be the change they’ve never been.”
Uncertainty may be a defining quality of 2020, but the reflection proposed by Friends At The Falls is timeless. The message sits in an awe-inspiring upbeat track echoing in your head to “Be the Change.”