The guitarist/vocalist Sean Danielsen from Smile Empty Soul has just released another solo EP, Food Chain which features five full band songs recorded at Babylon Studios in Van Nuys, California. “I’m really excited to be releasing my own solo music and doing my own shows,” said Danielsen. “It’s a nice change of pace for me, and a challenge that I’m looking forward to.”
Sean truly takes you on a musical journey through emotion and his passion shines through each song. He really captures so much in his songwriting that creates an immediate connection to the listener and opens the door to their soul as demonstrated in Rescue Me and Beautiful Things. Food Chain highlights the versatility of Sean as it brings out a heavier rock edge with some amazing powerful and aggressive vocals that really stand out. The guitars have a punkier edge feel and you get amped with the fast pasted drums, definitely a new Go To track to start my day off!
Sean is finishing up a round of acoustic shows and we had a chance to catch up with him. Check it out here:
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Music Junkie Press: HI Sean, Thank you for taking the time out to talk with us here at Music Junkie Press. We are excited to hear about your new solo release, Food Chain. Can you tell us more about the EP?
Sean: My new EP is just me doing up some of my songs without a band. I’m playing all the instruments, and working with good friend/producer Eddie Wohl, and we just take the song wherever it needs to go.
Music Junkie Press: From your new EP, which song is the most personal for you and why?
Sean: They’re all personal in a way, but the song I’m most happy with at the moment is “Waves”. It’s a song about going through the motions without any real hope for anything positive.
Music Junkie Press: You have always delivered emotionally driven songs, do you have a particular songwriting process?
Sean: I don’t have any one process that all my songs go through. I just make sure that each tune affects me emotionally in a way that might hit others as well.
Music Junkie Press: I understand you are setting out on a tour in support of the new EP. Will it be full band shows like the EP or acoustic sets?
Sean: Yeah, I’m doing 22 shows starting on Halloween in Houston, TX and going through late November. I’ll just be playing acoustic sets by myself.
Music Junkie Press: With the music industry experience so many dramatic changes in the last 15 to 20 years, what is something that you would like to see changed?
Sean: We’ll of course, I would like to see people supporting music again like they used to. Everyone out there talks about how important music is in their lives, yet they won’t pay for music they like, or support the musicians live. It’s not going to change because it’s just too easy to download for free with zero consequence. But what’s going to happen in the long-term, is that no one will be able to afford to be an artist for a living and you’ll have millions of part-time hacks making music of low quality, while all the musicians that have been dedicating their lives to music will have to turn to other things to make ends meet. Overall…… Music is getting worse, and will only continue on this path as long as there’s no money in being an artist.
Music Junkie Press: Sean, if you could go back to your 14 year old self, what advice would you give to yourself at 14?
Sean: Go to culinary school.
Music Junkie Press: We at Music Junkie Press are firm believers that music can heal, help, inspire, do you have a particular time in your life that you can share about where music helped you through something?
Sean: Music has helped me so much throughout my whole life. I’m passionate about music above anything else and always have been. There’s an emotional release that occurs when you hear a track that connects with your soul, and the lyrics relate to your life somehow. Music has always been there for me and always will be, and that’s comforting.
Music Junkie Press: What do you have planned after your upcoming solo tour?
Sean: I’m gonna do another run in Feb. in support of this EP as well, but I’m not sure after that.
Music Junkie Press: Lastly, is there anything else you would like to share with our audience and your fans?
Sean: Just the music on my new EP!!!! Please go check it out!!!
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It is definitely an EP to pick up and fall in love with. Check the dates below and see if you will be able to catch one of his shows:
- 11/19 – Louisville, KY @ Diamonds Pub
- 11/20 – St. Louis, MO @ Mad Magician
- 11/21 – Joplin, MO @ Rock 3405
- 11/22 – Cape Girardeau, MO @ Pitter’s
Make sure to visit his social media sites and stay up to date on the latest news.
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