Penelope Road Are Nostalgic for the Past and Future Ahead of Their Debut Album ‘Maybe In Time’

Penelope Road combines distinctly indie-rock elements with the shimmering and lush sounds of 70s rock and funk, bringing to life a rich and soulful musical landscape. Founded and currently based in Atlanta, the five-piece band remains inspired by the city’s vivid and bubbling music scene. Their music resonates with colorful lyricism and a timeless essence that draws listeners in. Layered instrumental palettes evoke a heartwarming feeling of nostalgia while the band’s refreshing musical camaraderie builds an intimate atmosphere.

Penelope Road has been building a steady yet intense momentum as they continue touring and fine-tuning their sound, while embracing experimentation and new influences. After the recent releases of lead singles “New Money” and the titular track “Maybe In Time,” Penelope Road is eager to release their highly anticipated debut album on October 23rd.

Maybe In Time album cover art

“New Money” features sharp and energetic instrumental beats alongside confident vocals and storytelling: “I got a picture/Of you and me rolling with the windows down/I’m on a mission/To show you how I'm steppin' now.” The song is filled to the brim with a genuine optimism for the future and the rekindling of a relationship. The lyrics are self-aware and descriptive, painting a vivid picture for listeners while a breezy and relaxed rhythm reflects the song’s joyful and relaxed attitude: “It could be fleeting/So let's enjoy till the final hour/Fast cars and fancy bars and/I got you for the night/Your face I can't forget/So girl come on and get it/We can really do it right.” The track isn’t afraid to bask in a romanticized and sunny point of view, allowing listeners to wear their hearts on their sleeves.

“New Money” Official Music Video Directed by Patrick Lineham

“Maybe In Time” showcases another side of Penelope Road’s forthcoming album, as the instrumentals are longing and more wistful. Yearning vocals accompany a strong and dreamy clash of drums and twisting guitar instrumentals. The track moves listeners closer to the heart of the album. Penelope Road bring together their feelings and memories from touring, making music together, and reflecting on the road to where they are now in their careers.

Ahead of their debut album’s release, Penelope Road spoke with Off The Record Press about embracing and finding love for imperfection, and how touring continues to inspire their eclectic music taste.

Congratulations on the release of your latest single “New Money”! The song is fresh, groovy, and infused with your soulful, 70s rock-inspired sound. Can you share with us the inspiration behind the track and how it came together?

New Money is a little different than a lot of the stuff we have written in the past. We went into the room to write that one with Daniel Tashian and started with a loop he had brought in that we loved. It felt like an earworm immediately, and the song fell into place pretty quickly after that. Usually we’re trying to bring someone in the band’s idea to life, but we all thoroughly enjoyed working with Daniel to just make a song where the goal was such a feel-good vibe.

What is something new you have learned about yourselves and your songwriting process as a band while making “New Money” and especially while making your debut album Maybe In Time?

Influence from our individual tastes prevails over anything else. We could’ve simply stayed in the same lane we’d gained some of our success from, but this batch of songs we proved to ourselves that we’re not here to only “play it safe,” per se. We’ve also learned to love little flaws. Be ok without “perfection,” which is something that’s halted us before. Obviously we want to execute great performances and have incredible tones,  but we also need to live with that one little miscue in the groove or tone that sounds a little funny at first. We learned how to be quickly accepting of the final product, and I think the songs, as well as us, are better off for it.

You just teased another track off of your album, called “Shoes,” which sounds softer and more mellow. Can you share some artists and sounds you have drawn inspiration from for your album? More broadly, what emotions, stories, and memories have helped inspire and shape the album?

There’s a good deal of 80’s sonics on the record in the form of synth, guitar, and drum tones. “Keep Driving,” for example, is our attempt at trying to create something Phil Collins would’ve nodded his head to. Our drummer Anthony recorded with this massive Ludwig drum kit, and loads of auxiliary percussion tones give it a jangly drum loop vibe. Koan’s guitar tones throughout the track are spot on for what could’ve been any 80s pop rock song.

It’s tough to say what exact memories inspired the album, but a lot of it certainly comes from our first headline summer tour last year, and how much of an impact that had on our lives. Themes of the road, looking back, and looking ahead are all over the record, and that’s just where we’ve spent a lot of time these past couple of years, so it felt fitting to write about.

You all are part of Atlanta’s robust and lively music scene and formed Penelope Road through various musical connections. Can you share how you all came together? Was there a specific moment that inspired you guys to form the band officially, or did everything happen naturally?

James Koan and I (Max) met in middle school just through classes we had together. Then I met Charles for the first time at Allstate chorus later in high school. After we graduated, we were all in various bands around our hometown of Decatur, GA, where we met Anthony and played our first few shows together. After James’ freshman year of college, him Charles and I called Anthony and Koan to see if they wanted to join the band and from the first rehearsal I think we knew we had something special. I’d say from there things happened pretty naturally. We started gigging, posting online—anything we could to get our name out there.

Can you guys describe your dynamic as bandmates when it comes to songwriting and sharing inspiration?

We’ve spent the last year developing our dynamic in the writing room, and much of that has been shaped by the fact that we’ve been virtually living with each other nonstop. Before this debut album, our songs usually came together by one or two members bringing anything from a hook and progression to a fully written song to the rest of the band, who would then write their individual parts. However, for the vast majority of this album, all five of us were in the room from the moment of inception to the moment of completion. This was, after all, our first real opportunity to have dedicated full-band writing time, and after a year of being on the road (and being able to constantly share what music we were into at the moment with each other over what felt like an endless amount of time driving), there was a new type of spark to our writing dynamic. At times, all five of us would almost telepathically cite what influence we were drawing on or what vibe we wanted to contribute while writing this album, and that energy is very much heard in the final result.

What have been the most challenging elements of bringing your debut album to life and how, as a group, have you overcome these challenges?

I think we’re super lucky in that the five of us can get together really anytime to write, and something will come of it. For this album though, we really had to challenge ourselves to be decisive and pull together a body of work that feels cohesive, not only in how it sounds, but how it feels as well. We got out of our comfort zone and explored a lot of new sounds, so we had to make sure that they could all live together on one body of work, which I think we’ve done quite well.

You guys are currently touring! What is your favorite thing about playing your music live?

We’ve been a touring band for almost 2 years now and have grown so much in that time as players, performers, and people. I look back at super old clips of our shows sometimes, and it’s funny how stiff we used to be. The best part is knowing that since then, we’ve shaped a live set for the fans that’s more refined and exciting than ever before.

I love the thrill and energy of live music for many reasons, but my favorite part is seeing and being a part of the community it creates. How does community inspire your music and you guys as artists in general?

Now more than ever, we’re aware of how important a solid live show is to the community. We were fortunate enough to watch some great sets this year on the road (e.g. Marcus King, Flipturn), and the main takeaway was consistency and energy. Many of the songs from the new album bring that energy in a way we haven’t necessarily had in the past, and I’d say community helped inspire us to create that way. A lot of these songs lend themselves to more unique live moments, and that’s something we’re always looking to give the community.

Atlanta has such a rich music scene. How has Atlanta influenced your music? When you tour and travel, how do different environments and experiences influence your music?

The rich musical history of Atlanta is definitely something we hold very dear to our hearts in the band. Despite the vast majority of music coming out of Atlanta right now being rap, the city is a melting pot of the South and has always been a site of creativity that draws on a multitude of genres—be it soul, blues, southern rock, r&b, or more. In that sense, we almost feel like the band is a microcosm of this very ethos: all five of us have such different musical tastes and backgrounds, and though at times we find ourselves floating between a variety of genres or labels, the resulting sound feels uniquely “Penelope Road.”

What are some of the earliest memories you have of music, whether that be listening to music or creating music for the first time? How do you think these moments continue to inspire you?

We all have early memories and videos of us playing an instrument and/or singing from a very young age. Whether it’s Rock Band on the Wii (Anthony can still crush), karaoke to some old 60s and 70s rock, or school talent show performances, it’s pretty clear that all five of us were obsessed with music from early on. As a band, all five of us remember our first practice in the house on Penelope Road (where we ran through nearly 30 covers to perform at a residency on Saturday nights at a Buckhead nightclub) — from that very first practice, we felt a musical chemistry that is the backbone of our band to this day. That feeling when all five of us are locked and absorbed in the music was there from the beginning, and happens every show; in a sense, it’s our litmus test to make sure that we’re still heading in the right direction.

Who are some of your early inspirations?

We’ve all been singing, playing, and listening to good music since we were very young, and we all have our parents to thank for that. As far as influence goes, we’re all over the board. Everywhere from 90s grunge/alternative to early soul/funk music to classic rock and yacht rock. We all listen to so much different music, and we credit a lot of that to how our sound comes about. Everyone brings something different to the table, and it all blends together into a genre we still haven’t been able to pinpoint.

Which artists are inspiring you guys right now, and what music have you been loving lately?

Each of us will have wildly different answers to this question, but I would say the musical artists that have been in heavy rotation in the van range from Flipturn, Slow Pulp, and Mk.gee to Olivia Dean, Dominick Fike, and Leon Thomas. Like we said before — the aux is ever-shifting in the most chaotic way possible.

What do you hope people take away from listening to your music?

Obviously we all hope that the step up in writing, production, and performance comes through to the fans, but that’s par for the course. I think the major takeaway we hope for is people seeing that we’re willing to make songs and take risks in a way that may feel a bit jarring at times, considering our older sound, but shows we’re confident in our ability to experiment and test new sounds and styles. We want to keep the sound as fresh as possible.

Pre-save Maybe In Time below, and in the meantime, give “New Money” and “Maybe In Time” a listen.

Cover photo courtesy of Jimmy Fontaine.