The Boy from Boise: an Interview with Trevor Powers of Youth Lagoon

Travis Powers

After reviewing Youth Lagoon’s debut album earlier this month, I was fortunate enough to interview Trevor Powers, the man behind the much acclaimed Boise-based band. What follows is a portion of that interview.

A lot of a smaller bands nowadays seem really discouraged about their local music scenes, but you seem very enthusiastic about Boise’s. Why is that? What makes Boise special? 

Travis Powers
Travis Powers is the 22 year-old behind the much-acclaimed new band Youth Lagoon. | Photo courtesy of Fat Possum Records

I’m enthusiastic about it because most of the scene is made up of my friends, and I can see their work ethic growing which is in turn slowly making Boise’s music scene a more lively and exciting place.  It’s definitely still small, but there are people here that truly believe in the art they’re creating and there is a lot of beauty in that.

Many articles and reviews have focused on the fact that ‘The Year of Hibernation’ was recorded in your bedroom. What was that process like?

It actually wasn’t recorded in my bedroom.  I wrote the majority of the songs in my bedroom, but I actually recorded them at a friend of mine’s home studio.  His name is Jeremy Park. The process worked really well because I would lay all my ideas down on the table, and even take detailed notes about tracks before trying to accomplish that. Jeremy brought a lot to the table, too, because we bounced ideas off of each other, and in the end, just did whatever felt right.  There really wasn’t much of a formula.

Now that you’re touring for the first time, which stop has been the most memorable thus far?

I’d have to say New York City.  I’ve dreamed of going to New York ever since I was a kid and to play a show the first time I was there was pretty spectacular.
Many of the songs on the album seem to start slowly and build up to very anthemic endings, to the point that they feel almost cathartic. Is writing/recording therapeutic for you?
I definitely think it is. My writing process often is made up of releasing different things I have stored up in my mind and turning them into songs. I feel like music in general is extremely therapeutic. One could have a bad day and hear a certain song and in a sense be set free for a period of time from what they are wrestling with.
Why ‘Youth Lagoon?’
I felt like that name carries with it a certain mental state that matches well with the music I write.
Youth Lagoon will be playing at T.T. the Bear’s Place in Cambridge on November the 17th. Buy tickets here. 

About Ross Ballantyne

Ross- CAS '15 - is currently a political science major. Originally from Scotland, he has lived in the U.S. since the tender age of 3 1/2. Ross' interests, aside from politics, include The Smiths, soccer, French literature, travel, classic British films, and existentialism.

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