Interview Canadian alternative/pop-punk band Over Eyes

Over Eyes is a Canadian alternative/pop-punk band from Montreal fronted by singer/songwriter, Jeff Poirier. Reminiscent of early 2000s emo & pop-punk music, the band’s sound features driving drums, distorted guitars, and massive, catchy choruses. Lyrically, the songs are full of emotion and the melodies showcase singer Jeff Poirier's impressive vocal abilities. Over Eyes' sophomore release, Disposable Days EP is out now, along with the band's latest music video, On The Decline.

We sat down with Jeff to talk about Over Eyes' latest release.

Jeff is from Chateauguay, just south of the island of Montreal, Quebec. When asked to tell us about his band's track On The Decline, he states it “initially came together with the intro riff, followed by the verses, which is a little backward for me, because I usually begin with the chorus and work out the other parts from there. This chorus took some time though. The instrumental portion of it came together in the studio and after sitting on it for a couple of weeks, it took me a while to really lock in the vocals for it.”

He continues “The song is about closing a door on a failing friendship or relationship because it's not serving you. A lot of the lyrics are about thinking back to things you wish you said during certain arguments, but at the end of the day, it doesn't even matter when you decide to move on.”

How could you describe your music?

My music has a real early 2000’s emo/alternative rock throwback vibe, with big choruses and driving guitars. I draw a lot of influence from bands like Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, and Dashboard Confessional.

What made you want to become a musician?

As a kid, looking up to bands like The Who, Nirvana, and Green Day, I admired their energy and the way they could get a crowd moving. It made me want to perform and spend my time pursuing music.

Describe your creative process when you write new music.

I usually start on my acoustic guitar and figure out the basic structure and melody of a song, then I'll add drums and electric guitars, to see how it sounds with a full-band feel. I’ll write and record lots of demos in my home studio, then bring my favorite ones to a producer, and we'll work out the kinks and improve them to make the best songs they can be.

Are there any musicians who inspire you? What qualities do you admire about them?

The Menzingers are a big influence on my songwriting. There is something about the honesty in their lyrics that I really love and appreciate, even though they can be very specific at times they are also very relatable.

If you had to write a theme song for a movie, which movie would that be?

John Hughes was one of my favorite filmmakers and I feel like I could have written a pretty memorable love ballad for one of his movies. If I had to choose a living filmmaker, I would like to take a crack at writing a theme for a Harmony Korine movie, because I feel like the result would be ridiculous and interesting all at the same time.

If you would have to compare your music to an animal, which one would it be?

I think Over Eyes would be a Golden Lab. At first glance, if it's alone, you may think it's kinda bummed out or not okay, but once you interact with it, it's energetic and a lot of fun to play with.

At the end of the day, I'm always trying to outdo the last song I've written, which really drives me to progress as a musician and songwriter

Who do you see as your main competitor?

Definitely myself. At the end of the day, I'm always trying to outdo the last song I've written, which really drives me to progress as a musician and songwriter. I think the songs on my new EP, Disposable Days, are the best songs I've ever written and I couldn't be more proud of them.

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