Today’s guest on In Conversation is David Beck of the exuberant Pittsburgh indie rock band, String Machine. After two full lengths that took the approach of solo records with an open door policy for collaboration, Beck was able to be more direct in his songwriting on the band’s tremendous new album, Hallelujah Hell Yeah.
Now operating as a solidified seven-piece, the songs that Beck wrote for the album combine the bombast of early aughts indie rock bands like Arcade Fire and The New Pornographers with an emphasis on hooks that doesn’t overshadow his ability to convey moments of catharsis.
In this conversation we discuss Hallelujah Hell Yeah, how to pay respects to our heroes in underground music, his growth as a songwriter, the influence of artists like Tom Petty and Motion City Soundtrack, keeping a safe distance from social media and so much more.