An Interview With Multi-Instumentalist, CASEY BUCKLEY On His Breakout Debut Album, “Take The Good” And More!

Singer-Songwriter Casey Buckley recently broke into the spotlight with the release of his debut album, Take The Good, which was released on October 15th.

Buckley recently partnered with PopMatters for the exclusive premiere of the music video for the track “Moment of Silence.” The song is a familiar tale of introspection, when Buckley had to look back on his life and put it into perspective. Here is what Casey had to say about the video:

“I worked with videographer Alex DePew to create a music video that was simple, yet effective, in conveying the overarching theme of ‘Moment of Silence’. A moment of introspection often coincides with a point of inflection in life. In the case of this video, that point is the process of packing up a college room as one gets ready to enter the ‘real world’. As anyone who has experienced the graduation and move-out process can attest to, one can very easily get caught up in a great deal of reflection. Ultimately, however, the moment passes and life goes on – but that period of contemplation, however brief, can be significant forever.” – Casey Buckley

Casey Buckley made his entrance with his debut single “Rise” for Hurricane Sandy Relief in 2012. He then followed with his debut self-titled EP in March 2013 and released Live at Evanston S.P.A.C.E. in June 2015.

“Take the Good” is Buckley’s debut full-length and was recorded and mixed at Chris Badami’s Portrait Recording Studios. It was mixed to tape and sent to New York City where Scott Hull completed the analog mastering. In Spring 2015, Casey Buckley toured nationally in support of Tony Lucca, just before embarking on Pat McGee’s Album Release Tour (Summer 2015). Buckley most recently wrapped up a Southeastern U.S. tour in support of Howie Day.

Five years in the making, his debut full-length “Take The Good” is an amalgam of life lessons during some very pivotal years of Buckley’s life told through the stories of different relationships with friends, girlfriends, and with himself.

Learn more about this talented performer in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time! What else do you have on tap today besides this interview?

Of course! I just finished up a marathon weekend in the studio, so today I’ve been catching up on emails and setting up plans for the rest of the year.

How would you describe your sound to someone that has never heard it before?

I’m a singer-songwriter so, true to form, I pull elements of multiple genres into my sound. People tend to appreciate comparisons to other artists, however, so three of the most common comparisons I get are James Taylor, John Mayer and Jackson Browne.

How was your summer tour with Howie Day? What were some of your favorite venues and crowds? Did you get to hang out much with Howie?

The summer tour with Howie was so much fun. I love the American Southeast, so getting to spend some time there in August was great. All the crowds were amazing, but two standouts would have to be City Winery in Nashville, TN and Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA.

I had the opportunity to play Eddie’s Attic two nights with Howie and had played another two nights there at the end of July with Pat McGee. There’s something special about that place – the people I met there were so friendly, I had great conversations all 4 nights with Tommy at the merch table, and the room just has a great atmosphere.

Can you walk about the process of putting together your newest album, “Take The Good” together?

“Take The Good” is an album compiled over five years from material that originated as part of many projects. I realized I had more than I could focus on recording and releasing, so I decided to pull representative songs from each period and create this album.

Where did the inspiration for “Moment Of Silence” come from? How creatively involved were you with the song’s video?

Everyone has a moment when they realize they aren’t as young as they used to be. For some that can be as humorous as getting a little winded when climbing the stairs, but for others it can be an intensely personal recognition that certain relationships have passed and that it’s time for everyone to move on.

My moment came in the form of a head on collision (metaphorically) with a few individuals who had been large parts of my life up until college graduation – that’s where the inspiration for the video came from. I chose to frame it as packing up a college apartment and getting ready to separate from everything that had made up your life for years. I laid out the video sequence and then worked with cinematographer Alex DePew to bring the film to life!

What artists have continued to inspire you through the years?

Going back to my artistic comparisons from before, I’d say that James Taylor and John Mayer have served as continuing inspirations through their large bodies of work. Ryan Adams and Jason Isbell are inspirations as well. All these artists have released a multitude of albums that span so many musical concepts – and at the end of the day, it all comes down to the fact that they just write really great songs.

Who would you love to work with one day?

I would love to work with any and all of the above! Also, Taylor Swift. I don’t know if I’d make the cut for her #squad, but it’d be fun to knit with her and hang out with her cats.

What do you hope is the message of your music?

In a lot of ways, the songs on “Take the Good” are blank canvases that one can project their own experiences onto. Instead of being hyper-detailed, I left the songs conceptually open to the audience. In speaking with fans following the release, I’ve found that this worked – each of the 12 songs have meant many different things to everyone who listened. There’s no better feeling, as an artist, than having a song resonate with a listener – being able to reach so many people through this album has been immensely enjoyable