Local pop-rock band Death of Paris gets personal in upcoming release
Death of Paris was born out of ashes.
In 2009, vocalist Jayna Doyle and guitarist/keyboardist Blake Arambula had just graduated USC when their college band dissolved. By all rights, they should have moved on to more dependable careers, but they refused to give up on their musical dreams.
Their dedication paid off; they were contacted by a Los Angeles recording company, and after a winter of furious writing and the late additions of guitarist Patrick Beardsley and drummer Bryan Lee Bass, they had their eponymous debut, Death of Paris. The album featured ebullient, bubbly pop with rhythmic electronic backings.
In its still-untitled second album, Death of Paris is branching out but keeping true to their pop roots. Just like its first, this second album has been a journey.
In winter of 2012, the band used Kickstarter — the hallmark of indie passion projects — to fund its new EP. The rules of Kickstarter say that if a project doesn’t meet its funding goal, short even one dollar, its submitters get nothing.
The goal for the album was $5,000, and the final total was $5,191 — a close, nerve-wracking call for the band members.
“We all became very obsessive,” Doyle said, describing how band members kept close track of the Kickstarter all the way to its conclusion.
The album was slated to be recorded in spring 2013, but was pushed back to September, a consequence of being an unsigned band trying to get studio time.
Now, the recording is almost finished, and like most second efforts, it represents a growth from the first album.
“It’s definitely given us a greater sense of who we are as a band and what our sound is,” Doyle said.
Death of Paris has held on to its rollicking pop sound, but the album is more pop-punk and electro-pop than previous outings. This evolution is partially due to the input of band members Beardsley and Bass, who weren’t involved in the songwriting during the first album.
The second album is a grittier installment, a result of the openness and emotion poured into it.
“I feel so exposed, more than ever,” Doyle said. “These songs are like cleaning up unfinished business I have. … Each song is spoken for someone.”
The album marks a maturation for Death of Paris, staying true to its roots while incorporating new sounds and new depths of emotion.