Stereo Six: Hungover Hash Out Some of Their All-Time Favourite Records

As a band, Hungover’s steady commitment to their music and honing their craft has started to pay off. The Orlando, Florida, band has been on an upward trajectory since the self-release of their WILT EP in 2018. The members, Marc Cortes, Sean Connors, and Gabe Santiago, all previously played in other local area bands that eventually dissolved, which paved the way for the formation of Hungover. They worked hard to make a local name in Orlando, and their rising notoriety did not go unnoticed. Smartpunk Records got on board and released WILT on vinyl with three brand-new, previously unreleased songs. Acclaimed producer and engineer Alan Reitman helped Hungover with those three new tracks and helped them further develop the appeal of their guitar pop sound.

Hungover’s latest release is the EP, When It Touches the Heart, Everything Resolves. It takes that pop-rock sound that they honed on WILT and pushes it forward, exploring new sonic textures. They felt more freedom this time to do what felt right. It’s a more complete and dynamic release, representing how the band has grown since WILT came out.

To learn more about their influences, we are joined by Hungover for an edition of Stereo Six. They describe six of their all-time favourite albums, including one curveball that will surely catch you off-guard.

1. Fall Out Boy – Infinity on High (2007, Island)

“If there was a sourdough starter for the bread that is our new record, it would be IOH. From the range of sounds, down to the actual process of putting the record together — it’s a body of work that we have tried to mirror from day one. It’s no secret that Patrick Stump has directly informed the vocals on every Hungover track. But the desire to go where the creativity leads the group has always been our cardinal value. In the way that Fall Out Boy would seek out help for producers out of left field like Babyface, we always try to find the most inspiring names in our Rolodex to team up with.”

2. The Killers – Hot Fuss (2004, Island)

“One thing that we wanted on this record was to paint a picture sonically and put you in the heart of these songs. While the lyrics can take you there, the instrumental textures make it real. Hot Fuss feels like Las Vegas, and discovering yourself amongst the glow of the bright lights. While our record takes place somewhere a little less glamorous, it’s still lined with coming-of-age stories about figuring out who you plan on being for the rest of your life.”

Artwork for the albums Hungover lists in this Stereo Six

3. Young the Giant – Self-Titled (2010, Roadrunner)

“This record feels personal. It’s almost like I’m getting to know the narrator exactly where they are. The record starts with ‘after leaving my apartment, I felt this cold inside me, it howls all the way through the market, it calls your name.’ We’re following the storyteller in their everyday life while big feelings are happening inside them. We drew a lot of influence from that idea, even down to the first lines of our record.”

4. Bayside – Self-Titled (2005, Victory)

“Simply put, this record ROCKS. The riffs and solos shine through; making for iconic moments that would be stuck in our heads for years to come. When we went into writing this record, we knew that we were going to experiment with new sounds. But we still wanted it to feel like the songs could be played by a standard five-piece rock band. Bayside’s self-titled record is the embodiment of that.”

5. The Band CAMINO – Tryhard (2019, Elektra)

“Upon hearing ‘Daphne Blue’ for the first time, the impression was ‘this sounds gigantic,’ and ever since then, I became enamored with the idea of making the biggest tracks possible. Every song on this album has a ‘massive’ quality akin to what an EDM producer would reference, but still feels like rock n’ roll (with a whole lot of pop glazed over the top). All the while being, in my opinion, the catchiest EP of the decade. I think a lot of folks on the genre can credit this EP for shifting the landscape of what rock music could be.”

6. Curveball: Destiny’s Child – The Writing’s On The Wall (1999, Columbia)

“The vocal layering and textures on this album are second to none. The harmony is utilized in such a way that what could have been deep R&B cuts that old heads try to put you on to have become undeniable anthems. Every hook is infectious. There isn’t a single vocal line that contradicts another. Everything is working together.

“When we were doing vocals for When It Touches the Heart, Everything Resolves, I would warm up to some of these tracks in hopes that maybe even one percent of the greatness would rub off on me. There’s something in it for every vocalist at every range to grab onto. We wanted to push my range to its absolute limit on this record. I think attempting to cover four voices was a great way to get me there.”

Hungover ‘When it Touches the Heart, Everything Resolves’ album artwork