Strangers You Know bring indie pop sound to Hangout

Posted by Stephen Centanni | May 11, 2016 | The Rundown | 0 |

The wait for the 2016 Hangout Beach, Music & Art Festival is almost over. From May 20-22, Gulf Shores will be ground zero for one of America’s most unique music festivals. As mentioned in the last issue of Lagniappe, indie pop is one of the biggest current musical trends, and Strangers You Know is one act that should not be missed.

Over the years, Strangers You Know has gone through several stages of evolution to arrive at its current, multi-instrumentalist lineup and sound, one of the freshest on the scene.

“At the beginning, we were a four-piece indie rock group,” band member Adam Haagen said. “We had guitar, bass, drums and keyboard, but that’s been done before. It’s not that we have no respect for that orientation, but we wanted to branch out and have our own new sound.”

(Photo | strangersyouknow.com) Strangers you Know started as a typical four-piece indie rock band after a chance meeting at Coachella, but have quickly evolved into one of indie pop’s most dynamic and innovative acts.

(Photo | strangersyouknow.com) Strangers you Know started as a typical four-piece indie rock band after a chance meeting at Coachella, but have quickly evolved into one of indie pop’s most dynamic and innovative acts.

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Strangers You Know began with a chance meeting at Coachella between Haagen and Grady Lee. Even though the two shared what Haagen called a “harsh dichotomy,” their friendship eventually grew into a musical project.

The duo spent years trying to arrive at the satisfactory aural experience the two desired. As they experimented with different lineups and sounds, Haagen and Lee found themselves delving into a new style that mixed indie pop with hip-hop, R&B, folk and rock. Lee describes it as going in a million different directions, but their listeners are finding it to be the right one.

“I think that it’s something that hasn’t been seen before,” Lee said. “The generation now wants to be different from the generation before them. We’re in a transitional stage right now. I think that a lot of the times it takes a minute for what is pop to catch up with what is indie or vice versa.”

The concept of modern casual relationships is echoed throughout the six tracks found on the band’s latest EP, “Loosen Up the Leash.” The track “Used” is an excellent portrayal of both the band’s versatile sound and the album’s social concept. Layered vocals are combined with EDM beats and an acoustic guitar track. Lee says the track shows just one of the many aspects of the album’s concept.

“‘Used’ is just one side of it,” Lee said. “It’s the lack of satisfaction and the trouble with not being necessarily happy and wanting more than you’re getting.”

Those who catch Strangers You Know’ at Hangout Fest 2016 should expect the unexpected. The band’s current style of music is just as fresh for them as it is for their listeners. As Haagen and Lee make their way to Gulf Shores, the duo admits their live translation of these new tracks could change greatly. With the million directions in which this band travels, any chosen path should be an excellent one.

Three-day, VIP and Super VIP passes are still available at the Hangout Fest website as of this writing.

About The Author

Stephen Centanni

With the exception of two years spent at Auburn University, Steve Centanni has spent his life in Mobile County while focusing on his two passions: music and the written word. As soon as he was issued his driver’s license, Centanni began to explore the local music scene in the early ‘90s. He filled his weekend with visits classic local venues such as the Four Strong Winds Coffee House, Vincent Van Go-Go’s and Culture Shock, all of which welcomed those who had yet to reach 18. After high school, Centanni traded Mobile for Auburn to complete his B.A. in English with an emphasis on general writing. While at Auburn, he had the honor of studying under the Pulitzer-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, who served as the nation’s Poet Laureate in 2012 and 2014. After receiving his diploma, Centanni quickly moved back to Mobile and completed the University of South Alabama’s graduate program with a M.Ed. Eventually, he was tapped by the nationally distributed Volume Entertainment Magazine to serve as the magazine’s managing editor/senior writer. His time with Volume allowed him to exercise his love for both music and writing. As Volume began to fade, Lagniappe recruited Centanni as their Music Writer and later their Music Editor, where he has remained for a little over a decade. As far as his involvement in the local music scene, Centanni organized Cess Fest at the Langan Park, which was a mini-festival focused on original local music in a time when original local music was veritably taboo in Downtown Mobile. For a short time, he brought original music to Downtown Mobile as the in-house promoter for the now deceased venue Cell Block. He managed local underground powerhouse Fry Cook, until the members parted ways. Centanni has lent his bass to bands such as Keychain Pistol and The F’n A-Holes, and he toured nationally as a member of Abstract Artimus & the Torture Children. Currently, he provides vocals for the garage blues rock outfit Johnny No. Ultimately, Centanni’s experience in the local music scene as both a participant and an observer has allowed him to witness the ever-changing persona of Mobile’s enigmatic music scene, which continues to leave him with more questions than answers.