PREMIERE | Discus, "On Tour"
The incandescent radiance of Discus; photographed by Clare Byrne of Sunroom/SUN-ROM.
Life on the road is an adventure that is invigorating, intriguing and in many ways isolating. In these exhausting expanses of late capitalist quests for meaning, actualization, survival, et al. — touring for many artists can be quintessential for everything from principle earnings, organic advertisement, and often an all out charm offensive of shameless self-promotion in the hopes of getting noticed by the world at large. Touring takes a degree of courage, strength and stamina. Requiring one to leave the safety of their comfort zone, it is a task where planning can only accommodate for so much. For all the headaches of the hidden, and unexpected expenses are the surprises, and new connections that occur along the dusty trail. Those with management and PR representation will be told the time honored wisdom about breaking out into regions outside of your own local markets.
All of this (and always more) accomplished for the sake of one's career, the future of the project, the good of the band, and so forth. And while these conventions and traditions can be crucial for the independent upstarts, what about the big acts that don't necessarily need the excessive exposure? What motivates the groups and individuals that remain committed to the nomadic trade winds and international routes of the tour circuit set of whom are always on the trail for no real meaningful, overarching reason?
Pondering all of these thoughts on the journey driven media mainstays are Chicago brothers Jake & Paul Stolz with the new Discus single “On Tour” that postulates the perpetual inherent ennui of trail trekking. Known as the rhythm section for Pool Holograph, Varsity, Central Heat Exchange, and many other acts; they hint at future musical endeavors to arrive in 2025 with a massive electric pop mammoth of a jam. Following up the electric retro rizz of 2023’s mini disc, the crunchy key and guitar odysseys connect together even cleaner, exhibiting two sides of the same coin, communicating an acute balance of both introverted/extroverted observations and languid emotion.
"On Tour" helps close out the year like an artist returning to a place of respite and reflection after a 3 month nonstop season caravanning coast to coast (while weighing out a potential international run for a month during the spring). Musically the Stolz brothers present an astounding marvel. An achievement in equalizing the subtilty of smooth MOR sounds perfected by late twentieth century recording advancements and style trends, underscoring the places where prog-pop breakthroughs intersect with decidedly restrained smooth album rock, rhythms, and baby boomer blues. The synth tones and emotive chord timbre move between a thoughtful state of melancholy with the mood rising into mesmerizing sunburst swells of sound.
"On Tour" is a pop tome that ultimately investigates why the icons who have already made the grade continue to place themselves on the luxury busses and souped-up Sprinter vans of never ending press campaigns. From the perspective of the DIY and underground realm of working class artistry, its an examination of that liminal light of existing within an ephemeral plane of almost vacuous space after achieving the near impossible benchmarks of undeniable success. Discus dives into what disconnects are at work when an individual has achieved a wealth of awards and accolades and is immortalized upon a mythic and unattainable stage. A meditative work on what is at stake in the negotiation of the self for the sake of chasing a celebrity tier schedule where the pressers never end, the itinerary is always booked, awards arrive like deliverables on an agenda, with genuine creative processes left and forgotten somewhere on the side of the road between Radio 1 interviews and iHeartRadio engagements. "On Tour" is a close examination of what success is, the hollowing of being persistently road-running the tired routes that faintly mirrors the visages of iconic towers of prestige turned into corporate entities in charge of propping up glossy cardboard cut outs to push commerce.
Complete with visuals from Clare Byrne with an assist from Nick Konkoli, a vintage revisit to a treasured guitar instructional on a vintage Zenith CRT television further elevates the thought floating movements within the song's mix that sweetly sing, swing and propels the introspective energy forward.
Single art for “On Tour”, courtesy of Clare Byrne.
Jake Stolz from Discus shared some reflections on the roads, routes, routines and more that inspired "On Tour":
”On Tour” explores the mind of Ed Sheeran on a press tour. I heard an interview of his and got to thinking about why he and other celebrities of his stature put themselves out there on press tours. His tireless promotion and constant hitmaking could be designed to make a parent or friend who has passed on proud. Or perhaps he simply wants to get people moving on the dance floor and nothing more. I feel like no matter how hard he tries there will always be a distance between him and the world around him because of his celebrity, and that must be isolating. Perhaps he’s losing himself and his connection to others through his constant work and career-building. And maybe this is part projection.
Stay tuned for more from Discus in 2025 via Sunroom.