Deer Park Avenue has excellent songwriting skills. Sarah and Steph Snyder, two sisters from the rock scene, explore manipulation and gaslighting in their new release , “Shut Me Out.” Gaslighting is a form of psychological control in which the target is led to mistrust their own perceptions of reality. The sisters’ distinctive brand of hook-heavy indie music carries the point home.
Furthermore, this is the first song that the members of Deer Park Avenue wrote with their mom. Steph (drums, vocals) explains that she and her sister were talking to their mother about acquaintances who “have two faces” when the idea for the song was born. Sometimes people in your life give the impression that they care about you while in reality they are just interested in what you can do for them. If you confront them about it, they will tell you that you are exaggerating or making it up. “And you have to stand up for your own sanity,” Sarah (vocals, guitars) chimes in. You can’t afford to let anyone dim your shine.
When we told our mother about certain people we thought of as friends but who were actually lying to us and trying to destroy us, she simply remarked, “Well…write a song about it.” They can silence you for the time being, but they can’t silence you forever. Steph adds, “Even the worst thing can be the best thing in the end.” If people are trying to stab you in the back, it’s a good indicator that you’re succeeding at what you’re doing. Thus, do not retreat. The loyalty of true friends knows no bounds.
Deer Park Avenue is quickly becoming one of the hardest rocking bands of today’s indie scene, from their garage roots in California to their Swiss power-pop breakthrough Conscious Mess in 2020 to their new type of melodic indie rock played to thousands at summer festivals. This sister act from Munich is making waves at a time when female artists, especially in the rock genre, have been underrepresented on the German festival circuit. “I think people are ready for something fresh, for those bands that break rules and expectations of how a certain genre ‘should’ sound,” adds Sarah.
This track by the sister act is heavy and thrilling, sounding like a cross between early Foo Fighters and Paramore. The tune showcases Steph’s extensive range and expertise by combining her distinctive large drum sound with percussive fills à la Stewart Copeland. Sarah’s singing is rapid and frantic, like a lullaby urging you to “sleep tonight while the ship is sinking,” conjuring the idea of closing your eyes even as you know that everything around you is falling apart. “Shut Me Out” again features GRAMMY® Award-winning percussionist Gregg Bissonette on extra drums.
In addition to his work with Ringo Starr, David Lee Roth, and Brian Wilson, drummer Gregg Bissonette also provided a memorable solo on the previous album by Deer Park Avenue, “Strut.” Deer Park Avenue’s lyrical skills are as impressive as their musical prowess, utilizing cultural satire, hidden meanings, deep reflection, and even in their darkest tracks, an obvious positivism.
The video for “Shut Me Out” features reimagined scenes from the Pink Floyd album The Wall, as well as the Titanic and other well-known works of art. GRAMMY®-winning producer Reto Peter (Green Day, Modest Mouse, Counting Crows) is in the studio with Deer Park Avenue to capture their unique sound on their latest album.
“Deer Park Avenue’s new album shows their maturity while keeping the fire,” Reto says of working with the band. Superb tunes, excellent vocals. After spending time in isolation writing a plethora of new material, Deer Park Avenue finally entered the studio to record their sophomore album. This summer’s “Cave,” an addictively hook-heavy debut that music publication Earmilk considers “groundbreaking,” paved the way for the “blistering rock song” Strut, which has been called “pure euphoria” (Mesmerized). Ian from Graphik, the artist behind the band’s striking artwork, expertly weaves unique combinations of the sisters’ diverse moods and expressions, which aptly convey the spirit of the project as a whole.
Indian-American sisters Sarah and Steph live in Munich. They are members of the Recording Academy and have traveled with singers including Palaye Royal, Bebe Rexha, and Stefanie Heinzmann across the United States and Europe. Because of their expert playing, companies including Epiphone, Paiste Cymbals, Blackstar Amps, Alvarez Guitars, Dixon Drums, and Aquarian Drumheads have signed them to endorsement deals.
The debut EP by Deer Park Avenue is scheduled for a November 2023 release, with a full-length follow-up set for 2024. You can now listen to “Shut Me Out” on Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify. For additional info, visit deerparkave.com.
Listen to “Shut Me Out” on Spotify:
