Getting To Know The FPSF Locals: Second Lovers
Photo: Daniel Jackson
The measure of a band’s success can be with how much change and growth they’re willing to endure to keep things going. The music industry is full of acts who gave up a little too quickly before possibly becoming something huge. However, if you look at Houston’s Second Lovers, you should see a band who would do anything to keep things moving forward. Several lineup changes, a new direction in sound, and industry changes are just a small part of what this band has endured in their short life as an act. This Summer they’ll be on Houston’s biggest party, the Free Press Summer Fest, where they’ll debut their new songs, perform old favorites, and prove that it’s worth sticking it out for the long haul. FPH sat down with the six piece to get an idea of what they’ll have in store for those in attendance.
FPH: This band seems to have been to hell and back with lineup changes, does this lineup feel like the one that’ll finally stick?
Second Lovers: It honestly feels like we are a new band. We have all been together almost a year and have grown a great deal from working hard with one another. It has been a really unique experience rebuilding ourselves. Our newest members are some of the greatest people and musicians we’ve met. Sean Spiller is playing bass with us and is a phenomenal guitarist, previously in The Manichean, and a sound engineer who worked with us on getting the right sounds for our New Mexico EP. Chelsea Renee, from the Southern Backtones, is an amazing singer and we love all the energy she brings to the group. Joshua Hammond, our newest member, plays drums and has an incredible dedication for music. For our first show together (and his first show EVER) Josh had only been playing drums for several weeks (he primarily plays guitar) and played for a sold out event at Buffalo Bayou.
These are an incredible group of people and it is an honor that we get to work with them. We love writing, recording, and playing music together and we hope that comes across in our live shows. We’ve had great experiences playing at House Of Blues, Minute Maid, Index Fest, and a ton of other awesome shows. We are stronger than ever and have no intentions of stopping.
FPH: Your last album was in 2024, and I know you’re in the process of recording a new album. Do you think your fans will be shocked by the new direction you’re going in?
Second Lovers: Fans?
(pause)
Just kidding.
The new material is a reflection of all our collaborative efforts. We are a true band at this point where each person’s input is invaluable. As mentioned previously we have members from a variety of backgrounds which has given us great insight into what we want to create moving forward.
We are really proud of what we are writing and recording. Yes, it is a definite departure from material we had previously released, but we still think it is something everyone can enjoy. We still make songs that are simple at the core, but are orchestrating more complex parts on top of that.
FPH: The band has a really tight live show filled with varying instrumentation; do you practice nonstop?
Second Lovers: We try to practice as often as we can, but it is tough. When we do work we work hard. Everyone in the band is a hard worker and that helps us on the nights where we spend hours trying to get a chorus to sound right. We want to be proud of the performance we give and the music we share. So, we try to make that a key part of our rehearsal.
FPH: Now, the group features dual vocals, one male and one female. When did you realize as a group, that was the element you wanted to add to the overall sound?
Second Lovers: That had started early on when I (Nic) had first written Daydreamer, which can be found in Wishers, Dreamers, & Liars. It was more of a studio decision but since then we’ve decided to keep the concept and it’s worked out really well with Chelsea.
FPH: You played Beer Fest last year, but the crowds at FPSF are much much larger; are you ready to play in front of such a big group of people?
Second Lovers: We played beer fest? We may have had one too many free samples…
We are so ready for FPSF. We look forward to putting on one helluva good show and sharing our love of music with our fans, new and old. We are so excited!
FPH: Will there be any surprises or new songs during your set at the festival?
Second Lovers: We cannot confirm that there will be a confetti cannon, but there will be a confetti cannon. Our newest set list is almost entirely new material that has not been previously released. So, you will be catching a glimpse at what is in store in our new album. This material is very fast paced, much more chipper. It is a ton of fun to play and we are going to have a blast. We’ll walk you guys through some of the choruses so hopefully y’all can get them stuck in your heads for days.
Second Lovers definitely believes in sticking things out as a unit. So far, they’ve never disappointed with every album they’ve released; so this new one should be just as impressive if not their best. You can catch them at FPSF this year and be blown away by their intense power as a band. And if things stay true to form, they’ll give you plenty of songs to keep stuck in your head.
