SOPHIE’S BODY – A CONVERSATION WITH SOPHIE McMINN
By Ralph Beauchamp
Sophie’s Body, the Boston alternative group fronted by Sophie McMinn, is releasing their debut album Zero independently on 10/30. The band has developed a sound the meshes the messy energy of indie rock with the melodic inflections of pop. In fact, they have labeled their music “bubble grunge”. But songs on Zero go way beyond that moniker. Take “Star” for an example. It fuses electronic textures with gutsy guitar overtones to create a groove that is quite singular.
Besides McMinn, Sophie’s Body is comprised of Dylan Hughes (Drums), Harry Van Der Meer (Bass) and Adam Hurt (Guitar). At the heart of their sound is McMinn’s voice and her ability to make vulnerability feel powerful rather than fragile. There is a tension in their music that feels both dangerous and exhilarating. Sophie’s Body uses sonic diversity on Zero in order to offer musical variety while still delivering a cohesive artistic journey.
Zero is an intriguing next chapter for Sophie’s Body. Rather than treating the release as a collection of indie rock songs, it can be heard as a snapshot of McMinn confronting her emotional fears such as anxiety, uncertainty and lost romances. Zero suggests a band that embraces contradictions. Sophie’s Body pairs polish and chaos in order to create music that surprises and is relatable.
Sophie McMinn was kind enough to sit with AMP for the cool conversation.
AMP: When you start writing a Sophie’s Body song, what usually comes first – a lyric, a guitar part, a melody or more of an emotional feeling?
SOPHIE: All of the above can trigger a song but emotions overrides the entire process. I usually write from my innermost feelings.
AMP: Your songs have very catchy melodies alongside heavier guitars and darker themes. What attracts you to that tension between sweetness and heaviness?
SOPHIE: That’s an interesting question! I actually think it’s just me. It’s who I am. I have some demons but still have a sensitive demeanor. It’s just a weird dichotomy. To me, fear and joy all exist in the same musical space.
AMP: Your debut album is entitled Zero. How stoked are you and the band about the release?
SOPHIE: Really excited! It the biggest project we attempted to date and I believe it’s a great step forward. We have been playing around with different sounds on the record. One of the singles we have already released, “Star”, has a lot of synths on it which is something new for us. In addition, the album feels true.
AMP: You’ve call Zero an “accidental concept album”. When did you realize these songs were connected by something larger?
SOPHIE: I tend not to know what I am writing about until after the song is finished. I think the same thing happened with this whole album. In reality, I was kind of worried that Zero wasn’t going to make sense. It wasn’t going to be cohesive. After looking at everything all together, I saw this connecting thread. It was a microcosm of my current environment. I was writing about my life experiences. That struggle behind the songs is what connects them all even if each track sounds different.
AMP: What song on Zero surprised you the most once you heard the final mix?
SOPHIE: Definitely “Star” because it is so different from anything we have done in the past. I was pleasantly shocked at the end result.
AMP: You’ve described Sophie’s Body as “bubble grunge.” What does that phrase mean to you and do you actually think about genre while you are writing?
SOPHIE: I don’t think of genre at all when I am creating. Genres are best used as descriptive agents that give the listener a little heads up on what to expect. When I am writing I never think about where the song is fitting in. But I do believe “bubble-grunge” is a good characterization of where we are at. Our music has a darker side but still delivers poppy hooks. Songs that you can rock out on and sing along with.
AMP: What can happen to a Sophie’s Body song onstage that can’t happen in the studio?
SOPHIE: Anything can happen! Every performance is special and sacred in its own right. It’s so visceral for me. I never know how I’m going to feel on stage on any given night but the intensity I feel with the band at every gig is always is on max. Playing live is so intangible. That’s why I love it.
AMP: You started with classical piano and violin before getting into rock. What parts of that early musical training still show up in your songwriting, even unintentionally?
SOPHIE: I think a lot of my classical upbringing has helped me with my discipline and healthy habits like taking care of my voice. In addition, it has helped me with my organization and staying on top of things. It’s a whole different mindset. I taught myself to play guitar after playing the violin and that translated easily from the mental fundamentals of the violin to the emotional vibes of the guitar.
There is a beautiful fluidity to classical music that most people don’t hear especially in the give and take of the tempo. That give and take is embedded in my soul when I am playing rock which truly enhances the music.
AMP: What have you learned about yourself as a songwriter that you couldn’t have learned any other way?
SOPHIE: To me, songwriting is a tool for me to understand myself better. It’s also the medium I use to perceive the world around me. As I experience life, I’m not really sure what is happening until I write a song. The song gets mental pictures from my brain and when I’m finished, I can sit back and then realize what has been brewing inside me.
AMP: If someone has never heard Sophie’s Body before, what would you want them to understand about the band after listening to Zero from beginning to end?
SOPHIE: Understand that there’s been a lot before as well as a lot to come after. I want them to understand that I am trying my best to be understood. I hope people see what is inside me. It’s my cry for community and affinity.
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