Halfpace Turn Best-Friend Devotion Into a Three-Minute Rocket on “BSTFRND”

The Erie, Pennsylvania band sharpen their emo-pop-punk instincts into something bigger-hearted and more immediate. Leaning toward a blend of My Chemical Romance and Foo Fighters; “BSTFRND” feels like that idea distilled into its most direct form

I’ve spent time with “BSTFRND,” and what stands out is how clearly it understands its own emotional premise. The song is for the friends who feel like family, even to the point of mourning them early, and that pre-emptive tenderness gives the single a strangely tough vulnerability. At just 3:05, it moves like a band that knows the hook needs to land fast, and the sound has enough melodic guitar lift and hard-driven drum pressure to keep the sentiment from tipping into sentimentality. For me, that is where the single wins. It turns friendship into something urgent, and worth shouting back at full volume.

(•)> That's all, Folks! Check out Halfpace on the Pigeon Opinion Playlist

What was the first spark for Carousel as an EP rather than a single or a full-length?

How did the title track set the emotional and sonic tone for the rest of the record?

“Tv Static” suggests interference and signal loss. What was the idea behind that song?

“Your Friends” feels like the most immediate track on the EP. Was that sense of directness intentional?

“A Strange Night At Dave N Busters (Kiss The Pavement)” is your most expansive title and longest song. What made it the right closer?

How did your self-production shape the final versions of these songs?

What did Csaba Laszlo and Roberto Angel-Dwyer each bring to the writing and arranging process?

Your own description points to influences ranging from 70s New Wave to Cowboy Grunge. How do those reference points meet on Carousel?

Where did you hear the biggest leap in confidence compared with earlier releases?

Did any song on Carousel change dramatically once you started tracking it?

What do you think Carousel reveals about Hotel Decor as a collaborative project right now?