Photo credit: Gianna Colson
Optimists have had a hard time over the past couple of years. The world, and seemingly everything on it, has taken it upon themselves to try and bring the rest of us down. But not Max Shakun. A former member of Connecticut based rock group Parsonsfield, the now solo artist has been steadily releasing soul reviving bops throughout the past few months. Before his debut EP Heatwave drops on September 10th, Shakun is back with yet another summertime sizzler.
“In My Head It’s Sunny” grooves like a Tame Impala/Mac Demarco mix that spent a little time sitting on the porch with the guys from Whitney. It’s sweet, soft and soothing. “If I tried to just write love songs, I don’t think that would be interesting to listen to. I try to write about something deeper inside of myself.” Shakun continues, “I’ve really gotten into Stoicism, which has helped me stay grounded.” This theme of staying grounded is directly evident in the chorus of “In My Head It’s Sunny”. A simple mantra of-sorts to keep calm amidst all of the chaos, something Max relates to the song “Be Above It” by Tame Impala.
Max’s lyrics go back and forth between the more abstract stream-of-consciousness and the much more specific with references to a walk at 3am the night everything shut down due to COVID. “Time didn’t matter,” recounts Shakun. “I never had my 3am lyric… I feel like a lot of pop musicians are always mentioning 3am.” He’s not wrong either, with Amber Mark, Halsey, HAIM, Matchbox 20, Paul McCartney and Simon & Garfunkel all having songs or albums that explicitly mention the beginning of the Witching hour.
Having decided to embark upon a solo career midway through 2020, the choice did not come without a heavy dose of uncertainty. “I have no idea where my music career is going, [but the EP] feels like a sampler of everything I can do and I’m really looking forward to releasing a full length… it’s like dipping my toes into being a solo artist,” explains Shakun. “People change, and as I got older I realized I’m looking to make different kinds of art. The pause in live music was a good time to figure out where I’m going. For the first time in my life I am living and dying by my own decisions.”
For the Heatwave EP, Shakun teamed up with frequent collaborator Mack Major, of the New Orleans based Miss Mojo. The two would remotely work on songs from their respective studios, half a country apart. But crafting his own release isn’t all that Max has been up to. Dipping his toes into more pools than just solo artistry, Shakun donned the producer cap for a few of his friends. Having fallen into producing rising folk/pop talent Izzy Heltai’s recent EP Day Plan: Five Songs Written for the End of the World, Max mentions a few other projects he’s working on which are TBA at the moment.
With this being a relatively new development for Shakun, he doesn’t shy away from the excitement of it all. “In any form of art, who is doing the same thing forever? You only want to work on something you’re excited about… Now I don’t want to call my first clients my guinea pigs but… [Shakun laughs].”
Listen to “In My Head It’s Sunny” below. Check out Max’s other recent singles “Comet” and “Where Will I Go?” on streaming services now! Follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more…