Artist Profile: Ghost Lovers
Ghost Lovers, the Phoenix-based indie rock band fronted by 19-year-old guitarist and songwriter Quinn Edgar, has packaged their relatable and infectious energy into their self-titled debut album, which was self-released in late February. In its mirrored mode of storytelling, it conveys a tale of the rawness of love and loss– leaning deeply into the undeniably abrasive and uncomfortable aspects– it is a strong representation of the unique charisma the band possesses and projects outward both on stage and in their recorded output.
The origins of Ghost Lovers as a project are closely tied to Quinn’s own musical origins, so it’s proper to start there. Although Quinn didn’t grow up playing music, he gained an enduring interest in the art form from the CDs his father would play in the car– classic rock acts like Queen and Weezer were constantly present throughout his childhood.
As he grew older, his interests eventually steered towards the more modern, indie side of the genre. Groups like Phoneboy, Breakup Shoes, Cardinal Bloom, Mom Jeans, and Wallows became his first artistic obsessions from the perspective of a listener.
It was when he finally got to see Phoneboy live, around the age of 16, that he truly realized the allure that music held for him.
“Just constantly seeing how they look like they're having a really good time and they're just enjoying themselves and doing something that matters. I've always wanted to do that in my life. I've always wanted to have something I was known for… After I saw Phoneboy, I was like, ‘This is what I want to do in my life. This is what I want to be known for.’”
From that point onward, Quinn took what had before been a leisurely pursuit of guitar up quite a few notches, spending as much of his free time as possible honing his skills on the instrument. In this period of artistic development, he joined two separate cover bands. Although neither amounted to much as individual projects, they did yield two important benefits for Quinn. Firstly, he learned to step up and act as a leader when the circumstances of the bands called for it. Secondly, when he ultimately decided he wanted to pursue an original project instead, both Rat (drums) and Martin (guitar) were more than ready to jump ship with him.
Ghost Lovers was born, therefore, from a desire these three high school-aged musicians shared— to write and perform distinctly winsome songs, finding their own niche to separate themselves from the bands they had grown up passionately attempting to emulate.
Over the two years between their formation and the release of their debut album, Ghost Lovers grew a devoted following in the local Phoenix scene– one that Quinn attributes to their honest and friendly energy at their live shows.
“I think what really stuck with fans was definitely just how friendly we were… Our stage presence is very cut and concise. And I think that's what makes the fans really draw more towards us is that you see this relatable music [and a] really fun and inviting band. It makes for a unique experience.”
They continued to develop this rapport even through some serious lineup changes. The current lineup still features Quinn as the frontman and Rat as the drummer, but both Alyssa Hattula (guitar) and Rose Pesquiera (bass) are new members.
Ghost Lovers, taken on its own terms, is a promising debut– one that showcases the pure catchiness and charisma that the band is capable of laying down on a track-by-track basis. When taken in consideration of their ongoing artistic mission, however, it occupies a whole new atmosphere.
Over its ten-track run, each song is arranged to have its sonic and thematic opposite next to it: a balance that serves to highlight not just the relatability of the band’s subject matter but also the intentionality of their delivery. Some of the more thrashing moments of the album’s opener “Song 4 You” are met immediately by the sweeter overtones of “Head Over Heels”. “Hypnotize”, likewise, takes on a darker, fuzzier bent before being countered by the upbeat motifs of “L.A.F.S”— and so on and so forth.
Through this strategy of mirroring, Ghost Lovers explores the epic emotional peaks and valleys of love without ever seeming overtly naive or tiringly cynical. It is a collection of tracks made to appeal to a wide variety of human experiences.
“When we were writing [Ghost Lovers] we [asked ourselves], ‘OK, but how do we make a love album or love song, period, not sound like everything else that you hear? What can we do to make it personal?’...We focused on more of the rawness of love. When you go through a heartbreak, you're not going to take it easy, especially if you really like the person. So what we did was make it to where it's more raw. It doesn't cut any corners.”
There is a second Ghost Lovers album in the works. Although Quinn declined to describe the sound in any terms firmer than “rockier”, it is certain that their commitment to emotional connection with their audience will continue to define their sound and their artistic presence. It is, after all, what has made Ghost Lovers unique since their inception.
“We want to bring comfort to people where it's like, ‘Oh, now I'm not the only one who feels this way; this person has the same experience.’ You know, that is such a good feeling when you bring comfort to someone… You can have the fame, you can have the money, whatever. But we want to be able to help people in ways that matter.”
