Local indie rock band Kid on a Milk Carton is currently in the process of mastering and printing their first EP "Come True," and plan on releasing the album later this spring.
The three-piece outfit, which started in October of 2013, is made up of singer and guitarist Charlie Donnelly, bassist Ryan Agee and drummer Nathan Woloshin.
"Nathan and I were bored and we wanted to start a drum and bass group. So we started renting a storage unit to practice, and he knew I had been writing a bunch of songs, which at the time he called 'lonely sad boy music,'" Donnelly, a former University of Memphis student, said. "After Nathan heard them, he said screw this drum and bass project -let's make a real band around the songs you wrote. "
Donnelly, who is also the band's primary songwriter, noted that many lyrics began very "free-formish." He would write a line or two and then structure the rest of the song around them.
"I try to generalize a specific feeling I have to make it more relatable. There are some things that are just bullet point specific, which I do occasionally mention in my songs, but I try to keep it general so everyone can relate to it," Donnelly, 25, said.
The bearded front man also added that although many of his songs revolve around prominent themes within his own life, he also tends to write stories within his lyrics about characters he has made up.
"I always wondered what singer-songwriters like Andy Hull (of Indie rock outfit Manchester Orchestra) meant when they had characters within their songs," Donnelly said. "I never pictured myself writing songs that are about people I made up, but when I started writing more that's what ended up happening."
The title of the band's EP "Come True" is a reference to a reoccurring theme and phrase in every song, Donnelly said. Although it seemed accidental at first, he noted that it became an important part of the concept behind the album.
"I always said if I ever had an album I'd want the title to reflect the reoccurring themes and lyrics. I originally said 'come true' on about four different songs that I had written, and as I wrote more I started to build around that," Donnelly said.
"'Come True' is the basis of what everyone wants, for what they want to come true. It's really broad but of course it can be pinned to be very specific."
Prior to this band, drummer Nathan Woloshin had not played drums formally in a group, although he had played guitar and sang in several other bands in the area.
He is also one half of the Brothers Woloshin, a popular station on WUMR U92 FM The Jazz Luvr, which he does with his brother Jacob Woloshin.
"I feel that I have an edge on drums since most drummers don't have the knowledge of a guitar player," Woloshin said. "I can feel out things that might compliment the bass or guitar parts better rather than playing just a straight beat. As a drummer, I can play parts I'd want to hear as a guitarist."
As the most recent addition to the band, bassist Ryan Agee said that this has been a very different and interesting project for him since the music was not in his general repertoire.
The band is playing at Crosstown Arts, located on Cleveland Street in the crosstown area, April 9 with touring band Radiator Hospital.
"We try to put on a really energetic show, keep people moving. We jump and run around the stage a lot during our shows," Agee, 20, said. "We're just trying to work our way up, get more merchandise, more recordings - just continue to grow."
Students can listen to Kid on a Milk Carton's single "Dunbar" at www.kidonamilkcarton.com
