For experimental wizard and indie rocker Briston Maroney, finding and channeling the truest form of himself was the spark of inspiration needed to bring his third album, JIMMY, to life. In 12 tracks, Maroney masterfully mixes energy-driven, experimental sounds with introspective and confrontational lyricism to celebrate the fleeting experience of peeling back layers and embracing his lively, authentic self. After feeling the weight of the burnout from trying to satisfy others in the creation of his past albums, Maroney set out to make a record that is reflective of his soul without worrying about the shape the final product would take. JIMMY is fueled by Maroney’s courageous drive to give his vulnerable self the spotlight, a leap of faith that was fearlessly taken.
In support of his new album and sharing the stage with another explosive indie rock band, Maroney is hitting the road with Peach Pit on the Long Hair, Long Life Tour. The two bands are venturing across the U.S. to play high-capacity amphitheaters, including a stop at the iconic, bucket-list venue Red Rocks Amphitheater. If there’s one thing these artists have in common, besides the long hair look, it’s their ability to hype a crowd by just simply unleashing their unfiltered, energy-fueled selves.
In an email interview with Melodic Magazine, Briston Maroney dives into the world of JIMMY, discussing the inspiration behind the album’s concept, the details of its creation and even shares Jimmy’s one piece of advice.
“Real Good Swimmer”—the first-released single off of JIMMY—is very different from your preceding works that lean more towards the singer-songwriter style, offering an element of surprise to listeners. After deciding this track would be the first one shared from JIMMY’s story, how did you think your listeners would react to this sudden vibe shift? Was there any hesitancy in taking this sonically and lyrically new route?
Preparations were made for a full and overwhelming REVOLT OF THE MASSES. Luckily I found that the people kind enough to listen to this song were totally accepting of a new leaf 🙂 I think it was a long time coming for me to try something out like this track, so the externally sudden nature of the new stuff had kinda become something I was really comfortable with! Also it felt like it was what I really wanted to make in my soul, and couldn’t really compromise on that even if people tackled me in the street for it!
This single was also teased on the road before its release, instantly becoming an unreleased fan favorite. Did it help to play it on stage to see how people would react before officially releasing it? What was that experience like?
Yo thanks! Thats a great point, I do think the live experience with the track boosted my confidence in the song coming out immensely! Playing it live has been such a gift, I feel really lucky to have played this many shows and still get to play songs that make a set feel so fresh for us.
All roads presented on your album JIMMY seem to lead back to the concept and need to be yourself. What inspired you to create an album that celebrates authenticity and one’s truest form? Was it something you’ve been wanting to create for a while or did it kind of take shape on its own?
I’ve always been real interested in the concept of being myself, but I never thought until now that I could say it point blank and feel so much relief that it worked! After going through the cycle a few times with making records and the subsequent life experiences that followed, I felt really burnt out with trying to make everyone happy. Doin’ something for a really delicate part of my soul and accepting that even if it sucked it was honest yielded a result I am so excited about.
As a kid with split parents, you’ve found yourself living different lives in two very different places: Knoxville, Tennessee, and north Florida. Since JIMMY is all about taking off the mask and allowing your real self to shine, how were you able to stay true to yourself while living amongst demographically different crowds?
This is maybe the most pressing question I’ve had and will most likely continue to have until the end of the road! Truthfully I wasn’t always being myself! You should see the photos of high school football/Mumford-and-Sons-fan-cosplay era of my life, they are egregious. At a certain point, I became a lot more comfortable in isolation because it was a place I could let myself be free, but the core of this record came out of a later-in-life attempt to accept that not everyone needs to understand all of you. You deserve to be treated with kindness, and if someone not understanding you makes them think otherwise, they can probably just like, fuck off hahaha.
How did this childhood experience shape how you value individuality and the experience of being an unfiltered, authentic human?
I think it was an amazing road map showing me ways to be a more understanding and empathetic adult! After feeling really misunderstood for a long time, I was allowed some really cool insight into the ways it can shape your behavior as a human to be that way. I feel like it makes it easier in my adult life to know people who are critical and judgmental of others probably just really don’t feel accepted themselves! Who knew!
This album features some abstract lyricism, symbolic imagery and multi-layered stories that were inspired by people you’ve met, stories you’ve imagined and identity-shaping experiences. What was your favorite lyric and/or story to tell on this album?
Thank you! Hmm, I suck at this question! I think the lyrics on “Tomatoes” always make me laugh. I feel satisfied at the description of that chapter of my life in that track (the line about the neighbor who hates tomatoes doesn’t feel like I’m even saying it in a way that I enjoy immensely lol). “Be Yourself” feels similar to me, like it’s a convo with a voice that I don’t control in my head, the two of us describing an experience in tandem!
When you were creating JIMMY, did you hit any hurdles or discover unexpected challenges while trying to encapsulate the important, yet often overlooked, idea of being yourself? Was there a concept of a particular track that was challenging to write about or bring to life?
It may not be too spicy of an answer, but there wasn’t really a point on this record that it felt like it got off the rails! I think that’s the coolest takeaway for me from this record: if you’re really listening to your heart while creating, and tuning out the external voices, it actually hurts a lot less than tryin’ too hard!
On your newest single, “Better Than You,” you worked with the Grammy-award winning producer Dan Nigro, a collaboration that excited a lot of your listeners. Was there anyone else you were excited to work with on this album?
Dan is the goat! Working with Alex Farrar was a dream come true on like, one thousand different levels. It still feels surreal to me that he produced so many of my favorite records and was also such a genuine, kind human being.
The album art of JIMMY is a story in itself, giving character and life to this so-called Jimmy figure. Is this a situation where there are Easter eggs and/or symbolism hidden in this busy album cover? What made you want to have album art that requires people to take the time to examine and process it to get the full picture?
Ohhhh yeah there’s plenty of lil tips of the cap on there! All from Skout Smith’s masterful mind and pencil! We both wanted the record cover to encapsulate the drifting, stoned imagery of the lyrics. I loved the trope of your typical indie rock kid, stoned laying on a water bed with big headphones on staring at the cover while they spun it in their room. Skout brought that idea to life perfectly and I greatly recommend giving that experience a whirl 🙂
You’re going on tour with Peach Pit, who are known for letting their whimsy, unfiltered selves shine on stage. In addition to both of you rocking the long hair look, what made you want to hit the road together?
The kings of being themselves! I’ve been a fan of their music forever and we met playing a show together in Denver a few years back! We bonded over both having made records with John Congleton and chatted about that for awhile, it felt really natural. I think we have a shared idea of what a live show can feel like for someone in the audience, and I think that shared ideal led us to the answer: ultimate chill-ass mega tour!
What are you looking forward to the most touring with these guys and what can we expect out of this co-headlining tour?
I’m excited for the motivation to play our best every night trying to keep up with them! You’re gonna see three bands (Bnny is starting the show off) who love music and each other giving 112% to the gods of rock!!!
Do you think the environment of these shows will give JIMMY the energy it needs to thrive in its magical, otherworldly space?
Absolutely. Summer ampitheatre vibe is the ultimate JIMMY arena. The only thing better would be if we could play exclusively at water parks!
If there is one thing the almighty, genuine Jimmy could tell the world, what would it be?
Do the damn thing!
Listen to Jimmy here and check out the tour dates here.
Keep up with Briston Maroney: Instagram // Spotify // X // Facebook // TikTok // Website
