Stereo Six: Recess Run Down Their Most Cherished Records

Perhaps the most significant driving force behind all of rock music is a certain youthful exuberance, which was the initial driving force behind Recess. Friends since their youth (and friends till the end), the quartet has grown together. Not just as musicians but as individuals, which has only helped them as collaborators and songwriters. The Cleveland act recently released their latest single, “Rust.” A total radio banger, the song focuses on a girl who moves to New York City to follow her dreams. She aspires to be a model but is unfortunately used and abused by the industry. “Rust” musically represents the band’s ability to conjoin hooky guitars and standout melodies while also making a clear statement.

Their shared bond of rock n’ roll and music has only helped bring the Recess members closer together. The band comprises Alex Raz and the brotherly duo of Vincent and Anthony Fondale. They have been playing together for 15 years and recently garnered the Best Alternative Band award at this past year’s edition of the Cleveland Music Awards. Music has helped bring these three young men together. That excitement continues to energize them, just as it did the first time they picked up instruments.

Joining us today for a new Stereo Six are the members of Recess. They run down six of their most influential artists and bands, who have helped shape their sound.

1. Imagine Dragons – Night Visions (2012, Interscope)

“I classify Night Visions by Imagine Dragons as the turning point in our band’s incubation. This album showed us that we can write any way we deem to be creative, fun and interesting. It made our writing less rigid and ripped open the creative box we were seemingly inside as little fellas. ‘Top of the World,’ ‘Bleeding Out,’ and ‘Tiptoe’ are all songs that greatly affected Recess from our first EP release to our most recent single ‘Rust.’ This band, let alone the album, are by far some of the strongest influential. They are foundational pillars in which we’ve aspired to and inspired from since the band’s early conception.” – Anthony Fondale

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

“This album not only changed the way we listen to and write songs, but our entire understanding of music. How the stories unfold lyrically in each and every track highly impacted the way we wrote the story for our new single ‘Rust.’ The orchestration in ‘Thnks fr th Mmrs’ especially inspired us as a band to really take the cinematic thing we do to the next level. ‘Don’t You Know Who I Think I Am?’ and its song structure also heavily influenced a few songs we’ve created. One of these being ‘Home Away from Home,’ and another yet to be released.

“This album, to us, is one of the greatest and most influential albums of our generation. I cannot say enough how much it has inspired and led Recess into what we are today.” – Anthony Fondale

Artwork for the albums Recess lists in this Stereo Six

3. OneRepublic – Native (2013, Mosley, Interscope)

“OneRepublic’s Native album revolutionized the way we write today. With hits like ‘Counting Stars’ and ‘Love Runs Out,’ the style and rhythm of the songs in this album really inspired us. The smack of the drums influenced the cinematic hits we exhibit in our songs, as well as the choirs and upbeat tempos. For instance, the gospel choir in ‘Counting Stars’ inspired the choirs in our songs like ‘What’s the Gain’ and ‘Home Away from Home.’ Seeing OneRepublic perform all their hits live, particularly, was the turning point in our writing and the path it is today.” – Vince Fondale

4. Ed Sheeran – Multiply (2014, Asylum, Atlantic)

“Ed Sheeran is one of the most versatile artists in the world, and it truly shows on this album. This album inspired us to take our creativity up a notch and write what resonates with us. ‘Bloodstream’ is a song that really influenced our pop/epic sound. The dark, yet melodic undertones in this song gave us the inspiration to write songs like ‘What’s the Gain’ and ‘The Hill.’ The harmonies and rising swells gave us the vision to be more creative with our songs. Overall, Multiply is an all-around masterpiece and facilitated our ability to write ‘outside the box.’” – Vince Fondale

5. Coldplay – A Head Full of Dreams (2015, Parlophone, Atlantic)

“Coldplay’s A Head Full Of Dreams definitely delivered on the head full of dreams for me. Coldplay is a huge inspiration for this band in general. I believe this album is directly responsible for many of our original song part ideas. The expertise of Coldplay’s Jonny Buckland on these atmospheric tracks became the blueprint for me to create such parts like the one in ‘Swear To Me’ and for an unreleased song we have in the works. Especially the title track. One of my favourite parts ever written on six strings.” – Alex Raz

6. The 1975 – The 1975 (2013, Dirty Hit, Polydor, Vagrant, Interscope)

“The 1975’s self-titled debut really introduced me to modern guitar playing and how to do it well. I always was told that upfront guitar parts were an ’80s thing, and that pop music was supposed to have background guitar, undistorted, and unnoticed. This album changed that for me. With songs like ‘Settle Down’ and “Chocolate,’ boasting ultra clean, energetic, memorable guitar parts that really gave the songs a unique identity.

“So when we finally got to writing songs like ‘Rust’ and ‘Woke Up in California,’ I used what I had heard as a reference to make something that gave me the same feeling, but different enough to make it our own. And that’s how I’ve approached our new music too, by listening and expanding my own horizons to bring to the table for our music of the future.” – Alex Raz

Recess “Rust” single artwork