Janus Took ‘Everything and the Kitchen Sink’ Approach to New Album

Janus' 'Red Right Return' has been out since September and the Chicago quartet has been on the road since the album came out and show no signs of getting off! That said, the album, namely the single 'Eyesore,' boasts layers of sound, something that doesn't appear to be easy to recreate live. But the band has figured out a way to make it work and make sure nothing is lost in translation.

"You have that conversation with yourself when you make a record and you can focus on chords and one singer or you can shoot for the moon and we decided to shoot for the moon and to be creative live," vocalist David Scotney told Noisecreep during a February visit to our offices while touring with Chevelle. "We took an everything and the kitchen sink approach to making the record and wanted to fill the spectrum and make the best piece of art we could."

Scotney added, "Live, we consider who will do this backup vocal and how do we sync up a string section here and how to fill a part here. We got creative and we do use a laptop that syncs up to strings and some of the key parts that we're too in love with to take out, yet too poor to bring out own string section on the road with!"

So what does Janus does when there is a dreaded laptop malfunction? They adapt, rather than panic. "It's more like user error," laughed guitarist Mike Tyranski. Scotney finished, "We're believers that a good song is a good song, whether it's one guitar and a voice or not. It's about great chord changes and great melody. Whenever we play acoustic, 'Eyesore,' which we never thought would translate, has been successful when we do a lot of radio shows. It holds up. If you've got a great song, whether the laptop works or the strings or there or not, it is still a great song."

Scotney also said that the strings are an additive, "a window dressing around the edges. If it goes out, we'll turn everything up, really loud."

Janus will spend March headlining and will head out with Halestorm in May.