Not everyday do you come across musicians who are simultaneously working on releasing a new album while balancing the uncertainty of their future as one of their key members prepares to deploy alongside the United States Army. 

But that is exactly the case with Brookline- a four piece alt-rock band based out of Albany, NY.

Made up of  vocalist Tommy Carter, drummer Chris Fox, and guitarists Mikey Pace and Dae Bennett, Brookline began to gain notoriety following the release of their debut EP “Crossroads” in 2018. Then in 2019, the band regrouped, welcoming Carter in as their new vocalist before putting out their sophomore EP “Fade,” which helped gain the band more mainstream attention as they began to play higher profile shows with the likes of Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Calling All Captains, Makari and Wolves at the Gate.

And though the band is rapidly approaching founding member Pace’s deployment, that has not stopped them from recording and releasing new music- leading us to their most recent EP “Where Do I Go From Here?” which dropped just last Friday.

And while the current state of the world is up in the air for everyone, we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to chat with both Pace and Carter about their new EP, Pace’s deployment, and what the future holds for Brookline.

Second Society Report: First off, thank you for taking the time to answer some questions! I know everything is sort of uncertain right now and the world is a little crazy, so I very much appreciate your time! So to kick things off, how have you guys been staying busy during the current quarantine? Have you been working on new music or practicing for any post-COVID shows?

Mikey Pace: Unfortunately the one show we had scheduled was cancelled due to COVID and rescheduling doesn’t look like an option right now. All of us have day jobs that are considered essential so that’s kept us pretty busy. 

SSR: You released your third EP (though I know it is Tommy’s second with you guys) this week. What are you most looking forward to about having your new music out there? Are you more nervous or excited to get feedback? 

Pace: I think we were all ready to release it. We’ve been working on it for over a year now. There’s always the anxiety that comes with a release, though. When you’re working on music it belongs to you. You can change it, mold it, give it purpose and meaning. Once you release it, it doesn’t belong to you anymore. It belongs to every single person who’s going to listen and they’re free to interpret it and give it whatever meaning they want. So that’s always a little nerve racking. 

SSR: What track was the hardest to write? What made it most difficult? 

Pace: Hold Onto Me. It was the last track we wrote and we had to do it from a distance. We got creative and worked it all out but it definitely wasn’t easy. 

Tommy Carter: I think Dive In was the hardest for me, because I had a completely different melody and different lyrics written and recorded and I thought it was done, but when I listened back and showed my fiance, I thought it really sucked. So I scrapped it and completely rewrote the song and it came out so much better the second time. 

SSR: What track is your favorite? Why? 

Pace: My personal favorite is Transparent. Ever since we first started writing that song I loved everything about it. Tommy’s lyrics are incredibly sincere, and the rest of us put our all into the music. 10/10 would recommend.

SSR: I feel as though most bands are constantly thinking about what to do next after releasing new music. Usually it follows with a tour or a full length album, but you guys have a sort of different circumstance with Mikey leaving for deployment in the upcoming future. How has that changed things for you? Has that made writing and releasing this EP easier or harder?

Carter: This release is a lot different because of Mikey’s deployment, as you mentioned. It made the writing and production of this EP harder because we didn’t have as much time as we would have liked, so we were stressed writing, recording, and shooting videos. Usually after release we would be booking shows locally and trying to branch out of state more as we did after releasing “Fade,” but along with Mikey’s departure, a couple of us are also making big life changes, such as marriages and starting families.

SSR: Do you plan on continuing with Brookline once Mikey has deployed or do you plan on pausing all future plans?

Carter: As of right now, we are just releasing the EP and seeing what happens down the road. I’m sure we’ll see where everyone is when Mikey gets back. 

SSR: What inspires you most as musicians? 

Carter: I’m inspired to be on stage every time I go to a show and see my favorite bands killing it. It gets me so hyped. I also get inspired to keep making music by the response we get from family and friends. Knowing people enjoy what we’re doing keeps me going. Lyrically, I’m just inspired by my own experiences, as well as the experiences of others who I am close to. 

SSR: And lastly, a fun one: If you could create a dream tour lineup, including yourselves (could be headliners or openers!) what three artists would you want to tour with?

Carter: I don’t know if we necessarily fit the bill, but I would have loved to have opened on that Beartooth, I Prevail, ADTR tour. My lineup would have been Brookline, I Prevail, ADTR, Beartooth. Pace: I would love to play with the Wonder Years. They’ve been my favorite band for so long and every time I see them I get so hyped. I’d say my dream tour line would be Brookline, the Wonder Years and let’s toss in a Gaslight Anthem reunion as a treat. 

SSR: Is there anything else you’d like to share? 

Carter: Just thank you, as always, to everyone listening to our music. Show Mikey some love, and maybe we’ll see you when he gets back. 

You can stream Brookline’s new EP “Where Do I Go From Here?” now wherever you stream music, and be sure to follow their social media to stay up to date on all future Brookline plans.