Just two weeks after an ad for Vampr – hailed as Tinder for musicians – came across Daniel Stauffer’s phone in 2017, the Bay Area drummer was in the studio along with two fellow Vampr users, guitarist Bradley Kearsley and singer/guitarist Ben Koppenjan, recording their debut single “Afterlight” with Grammy-nominated producer Billy Mohler.
One new member – bassist Spencer Layne – and a $400 Craigslist van later, the brilliantly named band hit the road, bringing their California cool aesthetic and classically retro sound up and down the coast. In this live setting, free-wheeling and bereft of perfectionist attitudes, the quartet began laying the foundation for their long-awaited debut full-length album, BLOOM.
The album, due out February 26, 2021, on Pure Noise Records, puts Carpool Tunnel’s sandbar psychedelic sound on full display, swirling ’60s and ’70s-era classic rock and blues with the sunny sounds of SoCal-soaked surf rock to create something that’s both nostalgic and fresh.
Months of road-testing the album’s X tracks in front of fervent audiences imbued a sense of spontaneity and looseness into the songs, letting them effortlessly evolve into the versions heard on the album. Across the set, the band brings the California coast to life through breezy rhythms and soothing melodies, from the slinky, bossa nova-flavored “Tarot Cards” to the bouncy, angular “Flora.”
The first single “Empty Faces,” a longtime staple of the band’s live set, is perhaps the best representation of Carpool Tunnel’s juxtaposition of classic and contemporary. Atop doo-wop charm and fuzzed-out guitars, Koppenjan muses about the state of relationships in the modern age – a muddied mix of emotions no other generation has been forced to confront.
“We all have people from our past [that] you don’t really talk to anymore but still have a strange connection to,” he explains. “You might follow them on social media or have photos of them. You know nothing about them now but still feel connected to them because you see them all the time.”
The songs on BLOOM are of that same uncertainty, about navigating life’s newness and seemingly omnipresent obstacles heading into adulthood. They’re sentiments and situations the band experienced firsthand in 2018 after moving in together in San Francisco. As responsibilities like school and day jobs piled up next to the more joyous task of writing an album, the close quarters taught the members a lot about themselves – and one another.
“We were all trying to come out of adolescence and find ourselves,” Koppenjan says of the mindset while writing the album. “The message we came up with was, ‘Like a flower, you too shall bloom.’ We were all blooming into ourselves and finding our sound at the same time.”
With BLOOM under the belt, the band members aren’t wasting any time thinking about the future. The current pandemic and nationwide lockdown have left these road dogs experiencing
some serious separation anxiety – so much so that they decamped to Santa Cruz for a few months to ready their next album. Unsurprisingly, it’s influenced by the current state of the world outside their windows, filtered through an optimistic lens.
“The Eagles are one of our favorite bands,” Koppenjan explains. “If you watch their documentary, History of the Eagles, you see the times they were living in: The world was on fire, the Vietnam War and giant political unrest were happening, and they talked about those things in an apolitical way to provide a sense of escapism for people. We take that philosophy in our writing. Music has always been there for each of us, and we want our songs to do the same for others.” XX
Afterlight
Carpool Tunnel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
These feelings I cannot overtake
Some may say that it's far too late
But we′ll just say that it's another day
You're not going to believe
Falling through life like a dream
You′ll get somewhere, but not where you′ll
(Not where you'll wanna be)
Subway station, people headed their way
Sitting watching, day by day
Bought a ticket to an afterlight
But it′s delayed until another day
You're not going to believe
Falling through life like a dream
You′ll get somewhere, but not where you'll wanna be
(Not where you′ll wanna be)
Welcome to the afterlight
You're not going to believe
Falling through life like a dream
You'll get somewhere, but not where you′ll wanna be
Not where you′ll wanna be
Not where you'll wanna be
In Carpool Tunnel's song "Afterlight," the lyrics depict a feeling of being stuck in a state of uncertainty and confusion. The opening verse talks about the singer's internal struggle, as they feel overwhelmed and close to breaking, yet unable to overcome their emotions. The following lines express how this may seem too late for them to change, but they choose to see it as just another day. This could be interpreted as a message of hope and perseverance, despite feeling hopeless in the moment.
The chorus is repeated three times throughout the song, emphasizing the idea of feeling lost and not where you want to be despite moving forward. The metaphor of falling through life like a dream paints a picture of feeling like everything is out of reach or just a fleeting thought. The subway station represents a place of transit, where people go through their daily routines with no time to stop and appreciate the beauty of life. The idea of purchasing a ticket to an "afterlight" (whatever that may be) seems like an act of rebellion or escape, but it is delayed, adding to the frustration of feeling stuck.
Overall, "Afterlight" conveys a sense of feeling trapped in a cycle of monotony and yearning for something more. It touches on themes of hope and perseverance despite feeling lost, and the idea of finding your own way in life despite societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
Breathing, shaking, I'm about to break
I'm feeling overwhelmed and close to losing control
These feelings I cannot overtake
I can't seem to escape or overcome these emotions
Some may say that it's far too late
Others might think it's too late to change or improve my situation
But we'll just say that it's another day
But I choose to see it as another opportunity to make a change or start fresh
Subway station, people headed their way
I'm surrounded by strangers going about their own business
Sitting watching, day by day
I feel stuck in a routine or pattern of the same old things happening every day
Bought a ticket to an afterlight
I bought a ticket to a world beyond my current situation
But it's delayed until another day
But for now, I have to wait and stay patient for my chance to escape
Welcome to the afterlight
Welcome to the world of possibility and new beginnings
You're not going to believe
I know it's hard to imagine
Falling through life like a dream
Going through life without really feeling like it's real or meaningful
You'll get somewhere, but not where you'll wanna be
I will make progress, but it might not be towards the place I ultimately want to be in life
Not where you'll wanna be
I may not end up in the ideal place or situation, but I can still find happiness and contentment
Writer(s): Carpool Tunnel
Contributed by Jack H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.