Cruise Director

It probably won’t surprise you to hear that Cruise Director play music similar to what you’d expect from a group with their namesake. Consisting of Spencer King (guitar/vocals), Andy Harrison (guitar), Evan Hynes (drums), and Josh Brook (bass), the Atlanta foursome’s surfy sonics often invoke calm ocean waves, pink sunsets, and umbrella topped cocktails. But labeling the band as purveyors of sun-dappled yacht rock, while sometimes appropriate, would ultimately be too limiting and misleading. Just listen to their new live demo track “Intentions” and you’ll hear shades of alt-country and standard issue indie rock cutting sharply across the group’s breezy rhythms. As styles go, it’s not terribly unique, but the hooks are pleasantly catchy and the execution is solid. With just a single EP under their belt (the six-song In the Driveway After It All dropped back in June), Cruise Director are clearly a band still in development, and demo or not, “Intentions” proves they’re moving in the right direction. - Immersive Atlanta

Andrew: What’s up guys? Digging the music. Tell us about Cruise Director and what you’re all about.

Andy: Two words: Good. Vibes.

Josh: Cruise Director is about melody... Cruise Director is about laying on the beach and seeing colors…

Andy: Cruise Director is like seeing an animal you’ve never seen before.

Spencer: It’s about not knowing where your beach house is because you’ve been drinking all day, and then you fall asleep and wake up to a lifeguard who's mad at you.

Evan: Cruise Director is kinda retro, kinda hazy, like a flashback in a movie where everyone’s having a good time.

Andrew: How long have you been together at this?

We’ve been playing as Cruise Director for about a year. The members are Spencer King (guitar, vocals), Evan Hynes (drums), Josh Brook (bass), Andy Harrison (lead guitar)

Andrew: Are any of you skaters/surfers?

Evan: haha yeah, Andy.

Andy: Yeah, m***********!

Josh: Just put, “Andy works at a skateshop.”

Andy: Yeah, I’ve been skateboarding for about 14 years. Surfing is hard as s*** though.

Andrew: Is there anything you do together as a band outside of music? Can we find you out causing a ruckus somewhere on off-show nights?

Spencer: Twains!

Evan: Victory!

Josh: We play a lot of pool at the local pool hall, hang out at Vic.

Andy: We’ve been known to dabble in jazz cabbage.

Spencer: We’ve actually lost 10 previous lead guitarists to the reefer madness.

Andrew: I love the aesthetic of what you’re doing, particularly the artwork for your record In The Driveway After It All. What can you tell me about that artwork and about the record as a whole?

Evan: Yeah, I actually took that picture on my 35mm camera during a road trip down in Miami, and was really excited about it. I couldn’t wait to develop it. We thought it was the perfect vibe for Driveway when we were sitting around trying to figure out what to put on the cover.

A lot of Driveway was definitely found in the studio. We recorded at the now defunct Cottage with Damon Moon—he’s the man. He’s the lost member of Cruise Director, really, with all that he’s done to help us find our sound.

Andrew: What can you tell me about your song “Smile Lines”? I loved the fat electric guitar at the beginning and throughout, and the piano creeps in very tastefully.

Spencer: I appreciate that! It was definitely written to be a sonically big song, and feel very conclusive. It’s also tying everything together lyrically from the rest of the EP.

Evan: We were like, “Hey, let’s put this big album ender at the end of this little EP” So we did and I think it payed off. I’m partial to Smile Lines too. It’s been the song that’s closed our set for a while, and it’s definitely one of my favorites to play live.

Spencer: I actually wrote that song on a loop pedal. It has that big growing sound because of how I initially built it on the pedal. The way the song builds with all the different parts falling in is very indicative of like how I originally constructed it.

Andrew: Are you guys working on recording anything new right now?

Spencer: Yeah! We just recorded a couple of new songs, both currently under working titles, but we’ll release them soon!

Josh: The new songs are really the direction we’re going—kind of Slowdive, kind of Modest Mouse, Pink Floyd—a Rolling Stones kind of thing. Our musical inspirations are really guiding us forward.

Evan: Definitely Some Girls era Rolling Stones.

Spencer: I think it’s a very realized sound for us.

Andrew: I saw you guys are headlining at Smith’s Olde Bar in Atlanta this Thursday (3/2/17) with God Bless relative and Brother Oliver. Anything special in store for that show?

Josh: A bunch of new songs, so that’s exciting.

Evan: Yeah, we’re excited about playing at Smith’s! God Bless Relative is great—they’re from Atlanta also. Brother Oliver is dope too.

Josh: Tell them there’s a secret show, that no one knows about.

Spencer: But be warned the secret is so powerful, so secret...you’ve been warned...

Andrew: Thanks for taking the time to chat!

Cruise Director: Thank you so much. - Forthright Records