Can’t Swim talks surprise EP “When The Dust Settles”—exclusive interview

Can’t Swim dropped a surprise acoustic EP today When The Dust Settles. The record includes four very unique versions of some of their most popular songs, including “Stranger” and “Death Deserves A Name.” You can check out the EP right here on All Punked Up.

We had the opportunity to catch up with Can’t Swim’s lead singer Chris LoPorto about When The Dust Settles. Check out our exclusive interview below and be sure to follow Can’t Swim on social media!

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So, what made you want to create an acoustic EP and why did you pick these particular songs?

So, I think it had a lot to do with what’s going on in the world. I have a lot of free time. We recorded it all pretty much ourselves. I did a lot of it actually in my parents’ apartment (laughs). It was something I always wanted to do, especially with a song like “Stranger.” I’ve played it acoustically for certain things and I always thought it would be nice to have a recorded version of it. I did “Stranger” and the label really liked it and wanted to do some more. It was really an interesting experience to go through all of our records. We’d be like “What other songs will fit the bill?” And then we picked the other three and we got it ready for release.

Why a surprise drop?

Well, I don’t know if it’s any more of a surprise than the other surprise records we have. I guess it’s going to be a little surprising just because we have put out music so recently. Because of the quarantine, I think it makes a lot of sense to be releasing content right now. You know, kids can’t go to live shows right now, so let’s at least give them something to listen to.

What was the process for creating the new version of “Stranger”?

It was certainly a little bit daunting in the beginning, You get so used to singing a song in a certain way, especially when the vibe of the song is so high-energy. It was definitely a little trial and error. I tried a few different arrangements and the piano seemed to be the right fit. “Sometimes you meet the right people” is very, very different than the original. It’s in a half-time groove instead of a full-time groove. It’s interesting because it’s like you’re covering your own band in a weird way.

How did it work with recording the song from different places? Did everyone just send you clips and you mastered the track?

Yep, exactly! Everything is via the Internet these days. We got on some zoom calls and phone calls and made it happen. We’re all in very different parts of the world right now. Danny is in Los Angeles, and then Chez and Greg are in New Jersey, and I believe Michael is in Tampa. I’m usually in New York. It’s kind of weird that I am down here in Florida.

What was the most difficult thing?

I think the process itself. We didn’t go to a real studio to do it. I did a lot of the recording myself. It took a lot of work, but it didn’t take very long. We probably wrapped up the whole thing in about a week or two. It was just a different way to record music. Usually, we are in the same room together and have a lot more equipment to use. With this one, it was pretty bare-bones, but it made things a little simpler as well because there wasn’t really much we could do. We just had to make the best of what we had.

Which songs do you plan on using live?

So I’m not really sure if any of these songs will make it to the live show cut just because they are pretty sleepy-time. I am interested in doing some kind of live rendition of the four songs. Maybe if I play an acoustic set by myself I would use these arrangements. As for the live shows, I will assume we will probably continue to play the original versions.

How do you think fans will react to the EP?

I’m sure opinions will be spread out a bit. “Stranger” is one of our more popular songs and I imagine people have grown accustomed to the original version of it. But hey, maybe these are the better versions.

Which acoustic version are you most proud of?

“Stranger” is the one that sparked the whole idea, but I think I want to say “sometimes you meet the right people.” I have always liked that song. I was very proud of the original version of that song. This rendition is pretty different, definitely one of the more different ones. When I hear it, I actually hear it as a whole new song. It feels like a brand new idea to me.

So “Death Deserves a Name” had Danny doing vocals on it. How did you guys decide to have Danny step into a vocal role for this track?

Danny is an incredible singer. He’s one of the best singers I’ve ever known in my life. He does a lot of harmonies on our records, but never in the forefront. I kind of had the idea because that version of “Death Deserves a Name” is the closest one to the original track and I wanted to think of ways to make it stand out more from the original. I figured having another vocalist come in would add a different color and flavor. Danny’s register is very flattering in that lower RnB kind of range and I thought the bridge melody was perfect for him to do. He sent me a recording of him singing it and I thought it was amazing. So we decided to go with that.

“My Queen” felt orchestral and stood out from the other tracks’ acoustic versions. What was the process of reshaping this track?

That one was quite challenging because I do not claim to be a string instrument player. Danny and I really tackled that one together. With the ability of technology and computers, you can kind of fake it til you make it with some of those things. That one might have been more difficult out of the four because like you said, it is very out of the norm for us or any rock band, to do a song that is a symphony like that. There’s a key change at the end which was kind of a pain in the ass to figure out [laughs]. I think the inspiration was to have all four of the songs have their own flavor. We did a piano one, a full band one, and we wanted “My Queen” to sound like it could be a Broadway play or something.

What are some ways you and your fans can help out bands and crews?

I like to come from the standpoint that everyone is suffering and needs to help themselves and their neighbors. But I think that’s one of the reasons we’re doing stuff like this where you can still give to the kids, you can still provide content, and you can still stay relevant by staying active. It doesn’t mean you have to go on tour, but you can do live videos, you can release new songs. I guess merch online is a great way to support bands. I think it is more important to make sure everyone is safe before you go and spend $75 on a hoodie.

What are some things you were looking forward to with this tour?

Oh, man. So I’ve known the Bayside guys personally for an embarrassingly long amount of time… almost 15 years now. They’re from Long Island and I’ve always stayed in touch with Anthony over the years. Our manager is very close to them. He used to tour manage Bayside. So Bayside has always been a part of my life. But I don’t think we’ve ever played a show with them before. Obviously that would have been amazing. Similar story with Senses Fail as well: we’re both from New Jersey and we have a lot of mutual friends. That would’ve been a blast. I don’t know the guys in Hawthorne Heights that well, but obviously I am familiar with their music and am sure they are nice fellas. I was just excited to get back on tour and travel.

How were your recent tours in Europe and in the States?

Europe tour was awesome. It was really cool. A lot of the shows were sold out. The Counterparts dudes are the nicest people in the world. It was a blast. We had to drive from Germany to South Hampton, England, which was like 22 hours, and then there was a hurricane. It was one of the worst days. Then the ferry was canceled because of the storm and it was just insane.

Did you make it on time?

We did actually. We had to take the later ferry. We slept from like 1pm-3pm and then had to load in. So, a long day.

Did you have a good show at least?

South Hampton was actually one of the better shows of the tour, so that was lucky.