Peter McPoland, the indie-pop singer-songwriter behind the viral hit "Romeo & Juliet," has taken a deliberate path to create his latest album, "Big Lucky." The sophomore release finds McPoland stripping away the trappings of modern music production in favor of an old-school approach. Gone are the days of computer-generated beats and polished pop hooks; instead, he's opted for a more organic sound, one that feels raw and unpolished.
To get there, McPoland has been rehearsing with his band of longtime friends, who will be backing him on tour. The band members, all childhood pals from Texas, bring a level of camaraderie to the stage that's infectious. In fact, they're so comfortable together that they can often be seen making up songs as they go along – an approach that McPoland says brings out the best in their music.
But it wasn't always this way. Before "Big Lucky," McPoland was stuck in a world of endless options and production tools. He felt stifled by the ease of digital recording, where every choice seems to lead down a new rabbit hole of possibilities. So, he took a drastic step: ditching Spotify and reverting to his old iPod, filled with Beatles classics. It was a rebirth of sorts – one that allowed him to reconnect with the music he loved as a kid.
For McPoland, the result is an album that feels both fresh and vibrant, with lyrics that are both humorous and heartfelt. And yet, despite its modern sound, "Big Lucky" has a timeless quality to it – a sense of classic Americana that's impossible to shake.
One thing that stands out about McPoland's approach is his humility. The singer-songwriter confesses to being only a 6 on the handyman scale – meaning he's passable at most tasks, but not exactly a master craftsman. His tour keyboard shelf is a testament to this, with its wonky construction and cobbled-together finish.
But for McPoland, imperfections are a strength. He's drawn to music that feels human, with all its quirks and flaws – like John Prine, his hero and favorite lyricist. Speaking of which, he's an obsessive fan of the late singer-songwriter, whose influence can be heard throughout "Big Lucky."
In many ways, McPoland's decision to make a record on tape was a deliberate choice – one that felt rebellious and exciting. By eschewing the ease of digital production, he's tapped into something primal and raw, something that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking.
And yet, despite all this, "Big Lucky" doesn't feel like a retro revival – it's more like a rebirth of sorts, one that sees McPoland emerging as his own man.
To get there, McPoland has been rehearsing with his band of longtime friends, who will be backing him on tour. The band members, all childhood pals from Texas, bring a level of camaraderie to the stage that's infectious. In fact, they're so comfortable together that they can often be seen making up songs as they go along – an approach that McPoland says brings out the best in their music.
But it wasn't always this way. Before "Big Lucky," McPoland was stuck in a world of endless options and production tools. He felt stifled by the ease of digital recording, where every choice seems to lead down a new rabbit hole of possibilities. So, he took a drastic step: ditching Spotify and reverting to his old iPod, filled with Beatles classics. It was a rebirth of sorts – one that allowed him to reconnect with the music he loved as a kid.
For McPoland, the result is an album that feels both fresh and vibrant, with lyrics that are both humorous and heartfelt. And yet, despite its modern sound, "Big Lucky" has a timeless quality to it – a sense of classic Americana that's impossible to shake.
One thing that stands out about McPoland's approach is his humility. The singer-songwriter confesses to being only a 6 on the handyman scale – meaning he's passable at most tasks, but not exactly a master craftsman. His tour keyboard shelf is a testament to this, with its wonky construction and cobbled-together finish.
But for McPoland, imperfections are a strength. He's drawn to music that feels human, with all its quirks and flaws – like John Prine, his hero and favorite lyricist. Speaking of which, he's an obsessive fan of the late singer-songwriter, whose influence can be heard throughout "Big Lucky."
In many ways, McPoland's decision to make a record on tape was a deliberate choice – one that felt rebellious and exciting. By eschewing the ease of digital production, he's tapped into something primal and raw, something that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking.
And yet, despite all this, "Big Lucky" doesn't feel like a retro revival – it's more like a rebirth of sorts, one that sees McPoland emerging as his own man.
. By embracing imperfections and a more organic sound, he's created an album that feels refreshingly human – like we're actually listening to someone have a conversation with us over a coffee 
️. His humility and willingness to be vulnerable are also really inspiring, especially when it comes to his approach to songwriting and production 
. It's almost as if he's saying, "I don't have all the answers, but I'll try my best and see where it takes us." In a world where everyone's trying to be perfect all the time, that feels like a really beautiful thing 
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. I mean, who needs auto-tune when you've got soul? And I love how he's embracing his imperfections – wonky keyboard shelf and all 
. It's like he's saying, "Hey, music doesn't have to be perfect; it just has to be real". And that's something we can all get behind 
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. It's like you can feel the camaraderie and the laughter between them, and that comes through in the music.
. So yeah, I'm all in on "Big Lucky" – can't wait to hear what he comes up with next! 
he ditched all the fancy production tools & went back to his roots (literally) - and it shows! its like, super raw & unpolished but in a good way? 
the way he's embracing imperfections is so inspiring. plus, can we talk about how cute is his tour keyboard shelf lol 
anyway, i'm totally obsessed with "big lucky" now - has anyone else checked it out yet? 
i mean, our society is so used to instant gratification and perfection that it can be refreshing to see someone take a step back and appreciate the beauty in imperfection 
he's not trying to fit into some preconceived notion of what 'success' should look like, but instead is following his own path and trusting his instincts 
he ditched spotify and went back to his old school vibes with his ipod filled with beatles classics lol it's so refreshing to see someone not playing it safe like every other artist out there 
the way he talks about imperfections being a strength kinda resonates with me too - i mean who needs perfect production when you can have character? 
anyway, "big lucky" is def on my playlist already and i'm loving that classic americana vibe