The jam scene is bursting with awesome talent right now. Everywhere you look is a new, exciting act producing killer new tunes.
One of those bands is Mungion — a Chicago-based quartet that produces infectiously fun music. And this fall, they are about to set upon a most adventurous time in their young career — dropping a new record and embarking on a high profile cross-country tour.
We caught up with the band to talk about their single which dropped this week, their upcoming sophomore record, and their upcoming tours with The Motet and Aqueous.
You just dropped a new song, ‘One Night Stan’ this week. How’s the reaction been from your fans to this new song?
We’ve gotten a great response from our fans so far. I think everyone was pleasantly surprised to hear a full horn section featured on the track because that’s not something we do in the live setting. We were able to add in a lot of layers to the arrangement, like percussion, new vocals parts and other little parts are buried in there to make things a bit interesting. We were really happy with how it came out and hope it finds some new ears!
Tell us about the feelings you go through dropping a new single. Is it all excitement, all nerves, a mixture of both?
We love releasing new music. It’s always fun getting into the studio putting our music under the microscope. We’ve been playing a lot of this music on the road so it’s really nice to breathe some fresh air into the material and try out some different approaches. We hope everyone digs the new music as much as we do!
You’ve got a new album, Ferris Wheel’s Day Off, dropping on October 5 — how do you guys feel this stands out from your first album?
The new record has a lot to offer and we don’t want to give too much away BUT it definitely has a little something for everyone! We delved into a bunch of different styles and like rock, funk, bluegrass, jazz, Latin and everything in between. A few of the songs on the record are more song-oriented which was a nice change of pace in some respects but we also put some bangers on there for the people.
You guys hit the road this fall with The Motet and Aqueous. You’ve also performed at a number of fests with a lot of big acts. What’s been the one band that’s given you the best piece of advice, and what was it?
ALWAYS BE ON TIME (EARLY) TO THE GIG! We’re opening for A LOT of great acts at this point in our career so, in order for the shows to run smoothly, it’s essential that we get there on time and set up as quick as possible. The last thing we want to do is make things harder for a band that takes us on the road. Nothing but good times over here!
If someone is coming to check you out for the first time, what song would you recommend they check out in order to get the full experience of what Mungion is all about?
That’s a really hard question and I’m sure I would have 10 different answers for 10 different people. We try and keep every show different from the last and throw a lot of curveballs at our audience. We all have a very eclectic taste in music and take inspiration from everything we can and our live shows reflect that sentiment. Come out to show, bring your friends and let’s get down together.
You guys play Jams on the Sand tonight – it’s literally on the beach in front of the ocean. What’s one of the more unique spots you guys have performed at in your career?
We have had the opportunity to perform at some really cool outdoor venues so far in our career which we are pretty grateful for. We love Rancho Del Rio and Mishawaka Amphitheater out in Colorado – beautiful spots. I would say the most unique would have to be when we played a festival on a deserted race track outside of Flint, MI. That felt pretty weird.
What do you love about being in Mungion?
So many things come to mind with this question – but honestly just being in a band with your brothers who are completely open to all things musically. I think the liberty to bring in ideas that come from so many different musical inspirations and have everyone in the band be willing and able to help bring the music to fruition is something to love. Everybody from the band brings an open mind to every gig and every rehearsal.
What are you most excited for (outside of the album release) for in 2018?
Really excited about getting on the road and opening for the Motet and Aqueous – to get a chance to share a bill with those guys is an honor and we’re excited to just be able to hear them every night! It’s going to be exciting!
