EP cover for *Is There Anyone?* by Preston Lydotes

When Preston Lydotes was just a kindergartener, his grandma sat him down for his very first piano lesson. He rewarded her with little concerts in her living room, full of songs six-year-old Lydotes had composed. Now, the indie rock singer-songwriter performs his own songs for rowdy house show audiences throughout Boston. Lydotes released his first EP, Is There Anyone? on August 18 with the intention of capturing the essence of live music, along with curating a collection of his personal favorite songs out of his leather-bound songwriting journal.

The theme of the EP directly centers around Lydotes’ own college experiences, specifically certain tumultuous moments in his first couple of years at Berklee College of Music. “A lot of these songs came from a place of deep self-introspection around my connections to my art and the people around me,” Lydotes said.

The EP kicks off with the almost cinematic “Could You Believe,” the perfect introduction to what this project has in store. It is the only song here not inspired by college and was originally written for a songwriting contest. Tasked to write something uplifting that provides an optimistic look at mental health, 16-year-old Lydotes decided to try and get all of his feelings out on the page. “It feels a little silly, this older piece of me,” Lydotes laughed in our interview. “But I was trying to call out to anyone in my position, and was willing to fight against anything that stood in my way.” Lyrics such as, “Don’t really mind the days of solitude, gives me the space to practice what I do,” reflect that mindset.

In college, he then revamped the song, adding instrumentals and making it more “edgy.” His current band, who assisted with the production, includes Evan Calyer on drums, Andy Baker on bass, Nathan Shen on lead guitar, and Ana Schon on organ and backing vocals.

The second track “Just in Time!” came together very quickly. “I wanted the lyrics to be antithetical to the instruments,” explained Lydotes. “The other artists I currently work with have this really great ability to just hear my lyrics and basic melody, and immediately go off of it… which worked really nicely on this song.” His voice seems almost effortless as he belts out with the guitar, begging the subject matter to reconsider their relationship.

The third song “To The Flame” is the band’s favorite to play live for a reason. The piece feels like a noir, as the singer screams for a way out of his current situation. Once again Lydotes’ vocals shine, but the lyrics especially stand out as the most story-based track. The song evokes an intense need, like Lydotes says, “craving someone like a cigarette.” The song has no regard for the singer’s lungs throughout, saying “Don’t give a damn about my lungs, no they never helped me run.”

“I wanted the last section to be really distressing, in particular,” Lydotes said. “Andy [Baker] actually came up with this rhythmic sequence, and I worked to make my voice ethereal at points, to contrast.”

“Let It Pour” the single off the EP, felt like it required visuals of some kind, leading Lydotes to create a pseudo-music video. “I don’t even feel like it's a video, as much as visuals,” he said. “One night it was just pouring out, and someone in one of my classes had a camcorder and offered to film, so we got it all that night.”

The piece reflects Lydotes’ insecurities around his art and feeling very lost in what he wants to do moving forward. But the song pushes past that and declares that the only way through is to simply deal with it. Not only does he accept change in these lyrics, but he challenges the universe that if it rains, it might as well pour.

Lastly, “Vagabond” closes the EP. The angstiest of the bunch, Lydotes wanted to finish off with a love letter to live music. This was put together in one straight through eight-hour recording session, with the long, instrumental opening setting the tone for this. Not only does this thematically feel like the ultimate closer, but lyrically, “Vagabond” offers a more mature reflection on life than “Could You Believe”, acting as an opposing bookend.

When asked what his favorite song off the EP is, Preston couldn’t help but laugh. Initially, his answer was “Just in Time,” particularly proud that day of how the mix turned out. After ending the interview, I received a text where he corrected himself, saying it would actually have to be “Vagabond.” he said, “I’m really proud of how the final recording turned out and think it best encapsulates the theme of the whole project :)”

If you would like to keep up with Preston, follow him on Instagram and Spotify, or come to one of his upcoming shows, listed below:

August 19 @ The Blue Room in Nashville, TN

September 12 @ O’Brien’s Pub in Allston, MA

September 16 @ Bill’s Bar in Boston, MA

October 8 @ Rockwood Music Hall in Boston, MA

Preston Lydotes Asks "Is There Anyone" in His First EP