JUNE 27, 2017: Manchester, NH natives Paper Monsters twist alternative rock and pop genres to creatively blend acoustic and electronic instrumentation. However, it is their name derivative that makes this 4 piece, consisting of Matt Blanchette (Vocals, Acoustic), Chris Kinney (Guitar), Dylan Charest (Drums), and Ryan Boehlke (Bass), stand out. The name stems from their single “Riddles” off the band’s triumphant debut EP, With Riddles, released last summer. The lyrics from the song were loosely based on the Chinese Proverb translated as “Paper Tiger.” The saying is meant to call out an enemy or feared general as being made actually from paper and weak once pushed. Paper Monsters are representative of the demons we encounter in our daily lives and to remind us that they are mostly in our heads; made of paper, and that we should tear them up and throw them away. Taking this meaning one step further, Paper Monsters pieced together one of a kind paper masks using 3D printing as a staple to their brand, image, and live show performance.
Today, the band is ecstatic to unleash their long-awaited
“Red Light” music video,
exclusively premiered via Yahoo! Music, to showcase their 3D printing masks which was produced by Misdirected Media and Paper Monsters. “Red Light” along with the remaining tracks off the band’s debut EP,
With Riddles, was produced and engineered by Connor Hayes at Project 2 Studios, with additional production by Matt Blanchette and Matty Labonte..
Blanchette expands on the meaning behind “Red Light” by stating:
“This song is the third single off our debut EP With Riddles. It was the last song to be written for the EP, completed only a few days before the studio process began. I (Matt Blanchette, lead vocalist) liked the song enough and saw potential so I made an extra push to have it included on the EP. I wrote the intro/synth line late at night in bed next to my sleeping (then) girlfriend. I fell in love with the sound of it and decided it should end up being an aggressive rock song, more in tune to my roots and previous bands. The song Red Light is about the Red Lights in everybody’s lives, and in my own especially. Things that hold us back from pursuing goals or passions that interest us and motivate us; usually a girlfriend or a job, anything that makes us feel complacent or settled. The Red Lights we encounter are less about brick wall barriers and more de-motivational issues that stop us from striving.”
The sound of Paper Monsters is unique as the band integrates production techniques found in hip-hop and pop (Twenty One Pilots) to large rhythm sections (PVRIS), percussiveness (Imagine Dragons), and emotionality (Kings of Leon) found in rock acts. Lyrically, the band takes varying approaches, writing some originally as singer/songwriter acoustic jams and others beginning with only a midi keyboard on Blanchette’s laptop. Blanchette shares, “I dislike becoming too comfortable with a writing process and find myself writing bland, uninspiring and dis-engaging material if I do the same thing too many times. I like to challenge my own process and aim for new creative inspirations as often as I can. In the end I enjoy tying different sounding songs together with a common theme of a driving, rock drummer and melodic, textured acoustic guitars.” By combining these complex elements of varying genres and organizing the lyrical meaning, Paper Monsters create music that is truly all their own.
Paper Monsters are actively working on new music, to be released soon! Visit Paper Monsters on
Facebook for more info.
Promo Photo: Credit Kyle Normandin Photography
