Kinder Than Wolves

Hailing from Orlando, Florida, Kinder Than Wolves is set to win your heart. The trio formed in college and have been recording and playing music together ever since. Their brand of hazy guitars and glittering vocals will set your mood just right.

Their upcoming EP, Mean Something, will drop on April 15th. In anticipation of this, I caught up with the band via email to get to know them a little better. Reading through their responses, you can't help but smile. Their playful nature with one another is coupled with a reverence for music and seriousness of their backgrounds and talents.

So, go under the influence with Kinder Than Wolves. And while you're reading, take a listen to their single, 'Hover', fro their upcoming EP, Mean Something.



What are some of your earliest memories of music? What kind of music was being played around the house when you were growing up?

Paige: My parents played a lot of classic rock and some rock that was popular then (in the '90s). They were the first music elitists I knew. They told me they had gotten kicked out of clubs in the '80s for being "too rock." I was in love with rock, but I don't think they knew what to do with me when I threw some pop into the mix. I was going to listen to Spice Girls and N Sync whether they liked it or not!

Ryan: My Parents played a lot of Steely Dan, Hall and Oats and Boston. Also I clearly remember singing Alanis Morissette at the top of my lungs when I was like six.

Grant: My Dad played a lot of Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, Simon and Garfunkel, and Jethro Tull. At the same time I spent a lot of time listening to a collection of Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Chopin CDs my parents had.

What were the bands or music styles you gravitated towards when you first started picking your own music to listen to?

Paige: My cousin got me into melodic post-hardcore in my early teen years -- stuff like UnderOath, Emery, Alexisonfire. I'm not sure he realized the floodgates he opened there because it changed my life. My taste changed to softer music after a while to bands like Copeland, Eisley, and Metric.

Ryan: A lot of folk and emo music. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure now.

Grant: A lot of death metal like Necrophagist, Death, Amon Amarth and Meshuggah while also having an interest in jazz musicians like Dave Brubeck, Miles Davis and John Coltrane. I definitely grew up with a constant dichotomy in taste. If you asked me to make you a mixtape back in that time you'd get anything from Stravinsky to Tibetan throat singing to Wu-Tang Clan.

At what age did you realize you were going to pursue music seriously?

Paige: Fourteen. When I was getting into post-hardcore, I became fascinated with the idea of recording and mixing and knew I wanted to pursue that. Then my dad got me a guitar for Christmas when I was 15.

Ryan: When Kinder Than Wolves started. Until then it was simply a hobby, a hobby I had since I was 11. I created music for myself. It didn't occur to me that anyone would identify or like what I was doing. So being a part of KTW means a lot to me. They brought me out of my shell in a sense.

Grant: Fifteen. I had been playing piano for eight years already and drums for five. I started playing with other musicians and started to realize around that time I didn't really want to do anything else. I don't think I've gone a day without playing or writing music since.

One very interesting factoid about your band is that when you all met in college, you were all audio engineers in your own right. How did you all first get into audio engineering?

Paige: I bought a 4-track digital recorder when I was a teen. I recorded original songs and covers and posted them on MySpace. Then I went to college for audio.

Ryan: My Dad's cousin had a home studio in Toronto. That early experience had a huge impact on me. Though if we're trying to be cool I use to record in the early days of Garageband.

Grant: I became interested in recording audio when I bought Pro Tools in high school and would record songs I had been writing. I would spend a lot of time creating weird soundscapes and digging into drum machines, seeing what I can do with multi-tracking and synths. Then I went to college for audio engineering while working in AV.

Paige and Ryan, you two met first and formed a very tight bond. What was it about each other that formed such a tight bond? Was there any specific music or recording styles that you two clicked on?

Ryan: It was definitely the music that we listened to, bands like Copeland and As Tall as Lions. We both identified with that aesthetic when we were younger. She also used to tell me the shirts I wore were too small. That honesty we have with each other is what makes our connection so strong.

Paige: We met in a music theory class so music was the connection for sure. And Ryan, I was trying to help you out with the small shirt comments. We can only fit into size youth-medium band tees for so long.

Who are some of your favorite audio engineers and producers that influence the way you hear and write music?

Paige: I actually do not follow other audio engineers or producers except for Brian McTear and his team in Philadelphia. They produce an awesome web series called Shaking Through. They bring in indie artists to record and mix a song in two days, and they're the nicest people. I'm in love.

Grant: As far as producers, Frank Zappa, Beck and Steven Wilson.

Ryan: I'm just gonna say Paige, she fits the bill.

For many, it would seem like a natural progression to go from audio engineer to music writer/ performer, but I'm a little skeptical. Do you consider yourselves engineers or songwriters first?

Paige: I find the inverse to be true! I see a lot of engineers start out in bands and then transition to producers and engineers later. I feel like I'm doing things backwards. I consider myself a mixing engineer before songwriter, but the line is starting to blur.

Ryan: As a songwriter, when working on 'Mean Something', it was a conscious decision to compartmentalize our jobs. Paige produced the EP and wore so many hats during the process. I just made sure my guitar was tuned. It let me creatively flourish as a musician.

Grant: I feel like a lot of the time a musician transitions into production out of necessity so they can record and share their music on their own terms, which was the initial intent for me. I'm definitely a musician first and foremost though.

Have you found any advantages when it comes to forging your songs based on your backgrounds?

Paige: Having a background in audio engineering makes me pay a lot of attention to the arrangement of instrumentation. In the same way you shouldn't have certain frequencies of different instruments fighting with each other in a mix (making things muddy or indiscernible), when writing, I'm making sure that 95% of the time only one instrument has the "spotlight" at a time -- whether it's vocals, guitar, a drum fill, etc. It gets us where we're going faster.

Grant: I got a lot out of studying music I was naturally drawn to and figuring out what made it work. It made me start paying more attention to space and timbre rather than focusing too much on composition and theory.

With three musicians all with recording and extensive experience behind the boards, was there ever any tension or clashes in styles or schools of thought that had to be smoothed over when it came to recording your own material?

Paige: Not at all. Grant and Ryan were so supportive and patient.

Grant: No, I think the fact that we are all engineers helped the process if anything.

When it comes to writing/ recording, what are three albums that have a magic you wish to capture with your own music?

Paige: As Tall As Lions - self-titled: This is my favorite band still after all these years. I think this album is timeless and it really set a standard for me when I heard it. They capture heartbreak and despair brilliantly.

Now, Now - Threads: I saw Now, Now a few years back at SXSW around the time of this album release. I came back from SXSW feeling pretty inspired and said to Ryan, "let's do this for real," and KTW started soon after. So this record reminds me of a transitional time.

Foals - Total Life Forever - A very sonically cool album. They weren't afraid to be dynamic in volume. It has an other-worldly feel for me.

Ryan: As Tall As Lions - self-titled is one of my favorites as well. It definitely captures something special and does way more than what they set out to accomplish. Radiohead- In Rainbows and REM - Automatic for the People. They blew my mind in different ways, Radiohead for being sonically mind-blowing, and REM for its writing and composition.

Grant: Sufjan Stevens - Michigan for its balance of progressive passages that challenge you mentally and material that tugs at the heart strings. Snowmine - Laminate Pet Animal for the lush and hazy environment that it creates with very dynamically sensitive composition and use of space. Arthur Russell - Another Thought - despite being very minimalist and acoustic, the vocals are very effective in that they are often used as support or effect rather than being forefront constantly, giving the songs more sonic depth.

Have you ever looked to literature/poetry, film, or physical art for inspiration when it comes to writing songs?

Paige: A little! There's an Emerson reference in 'Hover'.

A little birdy told me that back in the day you had some reservations when it came to performing live. What were those first live shows like for you all? How was it coming out from the studio to a live audience?

Paige: Grant really helped to bring us out of our shells. He was very calm and collected and didn't pressure us to move too fast. The first live shows were terrifying, but our friends and Orlando have been super encouraging.

Ryan: They were so nerve-racking! There was a point where it clicked due in part to Grant being an amazing musician and supporting us.

Were there any bands you looked to for inspiration when it came to performing live?

Paige: I think MuteMath is amazing live. Apart from them, I looked at other three-piece bands like Now, Now. I really like the dynamic of three-person bands. Lately, I've been looking more at Daughter. I saw her in a church at SXSW in 2012 and it was so beautiful. She has a pretty shy disposition like us, but it disappears when she starts a song and her performances are full of passion.

Ryan: I look to a lot of live studio sessions. It's a different feel from live shows, but I enjoy seeing how everything is pieced together in that micro-environment.

Grant: I really got a lot out of watching Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree because of the clarity and quality of their live audio. I'd also have to say Daughter knows how to put you in a world in such an intimate, minimalist way. Every sound is placed very deliberately and with care.

What have you learned about songwriting and the recording process now that you are seasoned live performers? Do you approach the studio differently now with this in mind?

Paige: I wouldn't consider us seasoned! But I have learned that the live and studio versions of your songs do not need to be identical. In fact, it's sometimes more interesting if they're not. It's more important that the live version fits the mood and pacing of your set than to give people an exact replica of the studio version. I used to have concerns when writing that the live version wouldn't match perfectly, but now I don't let that bother me. I'm writing songs for a live setting right now that I know will sound slightly different arrangement-wise when it comes time to record.

Lastly, name one album, doesn't matter how old, you wish you could have worked on as an audio engineer/ producer. And then name one band/musician/producer you would love to work with in the future.

Ryan: Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain by Sparklehorse. As for the second question I'd love to work with From Indian Lakes at some point, I love how they're evolving.

Grant: Probably Smiley Smile by The Beach Boys. Being a part of that evolution of stereo in the 60s in an experimental setting like that would basically be comparable to exploring space. At some point I'd like to work with someone like John Zorn or Nico Muhly because of their versatility and talent for getting the most out of musicians.

Paige: Well generally, I wouldn't want to touch a lot of the old albums I love, but lately I've been listening to the new Tancred album which rules hard. It would've been fun to have worked on it. In the future, I'd like to work with artists like Daughter or Julien Baker. There's so much open space and potential in the kind of music they're making. Working with Ryan and Grant has taught me how to approach producing with a strong focus because we get pretty ambient at times, so I'd love to lend those skills to artists like them. - Ian Hays

To start this weeks’ wave of free music we’ve found this brooding track from Kinder Than Wolves. Ethereal vocals float within a heady wash of guitars, and there’s even hint of brass at the end we reckon. Feel like something you can cope with on a Monday? We thought so.

Download Kinder Than Wolves – Hazel Days

Hailing from sunny Orlando, Kinder Than Wolves are musical trio Grant Freeman, Paige Coley & Ryan Snow. They met as audio engineers at college and that craft is evident in the layered depths of their sound. This is the first offering from their debut EP Mean Something which is released on 15th April. We’ll certainly be keeping an ear out for what’s to come. - BBC Radio 6 - Lauren Laverne

It’s somewhat hard to believe that Hazel Days by Kinder Than Wolves is the Orlando trio’s first single, given that its confidence and scope seems to convey a band with a high level of maturity beyond their fledgling status. The song is a hypnotic indie-rock track that mixes heavy guitars with dreamy vocals, a bit like Wolf Alice at their more introspective. - Fresh on the Net

Kinder Than Wolves, "Hazel Days"
Orlando's Kinder Than Wolves make the kind of music that is the soundtrack to either the greatest days of your life or the worst. The music is inherently emotional, and each listener will bring something new to their own experience, as the music acts as a sort of Rorschach test for each individual. It's calming and joyous but also slightly melancholy—it's the sound of a band allowing the music to dictate the pace and intent of the band. There're no false notes, only a gentle persuasion that slides under your skin and twists your expectations. The band layers atmospheric pop tendencies over a shuffling indie rock sound and delivers an impassioned and elliptical collage of noise and melodies.

On their recent single, "Hazel Days," they fashion a driving pop song that wears its subdued indie rock influences like a badge of honor. The guitars chime and clink against singer Paige Coley's wondrous voice, and the track resolves into a graceful series of moments where the band present themselves perfectly still among the grace and calm majesty of their music. "Hazel Days" may not shake any mountains, but it doesn't have to. This is a song that relies on something far more devious and infectious: our own memories and experiences. Perfect for a late spring evening with friends or an autumn afternoon stroll through the woods, it encapsulates that feeling of being suspended in a single point in time, when the present isn't quite here and the past hasn't yet caught up to us. - Nooga

If Kinder Than Wolves’ new track “Hazel Days” is any indication of the calm, intrinsically beautiful, cool vibes of their upcoming album, Mean Something then sign me up, because this is a trio that clearly knows what they’re doing. The Florida natives’ new album drops April 15th, but in the meantime check out “Hazel Days” below! - Infectious Magazine

Who is KINDER THAN WOLVES? A fresh new band of audio engineers hailing from the Sunshine State. KINDER THAN WOLVES is Paige Coley (vocals, guitar), Ryan Snow (guitar), and Grant Freeman (drums)!

My first impression of “Hazel Days” : A coy and almost timid combination of hazy sounds, floundering emotions and a sheepishly alluring lead vocal!

My take : KINDER THAN WOLVES might be new to the indie rock scene but after listening to their debut track “Hazel Days”, I come away wanting to hear more. “Hazel Days” jumps out of the gates tiptoeing with a reserved and controlled style that is inescapably entrancing. As the tempo slowly swells and retracts, the gentle force behind Coley’s wispy lead vocals feel increasingly emboldened even though it may not sound that way. And thus gives the song a soothing yet anesthetic quality for my ears to wade through without any inhibitions along the way. “Hazel Days” is a solid introduction to an Orlando 3-piece with tons of potential in my eyes. And I would bet the house the best is yet to come!

TMH RATING: On The Rise! - Through My Headphones

Perhaps it’s Paige Coley’s vocals or the ambient guitar tones but Orlando’s Kinder Than Wolves debut single from their upcoming debut EP Mean Something, due out April 15, is bliss wrapped in shoegaze. “Hazel Days” feels like a cold wind that hits your face, chilling you down to your toes, only to have a warm winter sun spotlight upon you. – MG - OpenEars Music

Kinder Than Wolves are Grant Freeman, Paige Coley, and Ryan Snow. The trio from Orlando has just released “Hazel Days” and it is some awesome laid back indie rock which showcase Coley’s beautiful and ethereal vocals.

All three members are audio engineers which definitely shows in their debut EP as they used those skills to record the EP in their Florida townhouse. “Hazel Days” immediately captures your attention and has you wanting to hear more. Kinder Than Wolves’ debut EP, Mean Something will be released April 15. - The Revue

Here's a beautiful song by the Orlando three piece Kinder Than Wolves. Out Song Pick of the Day "Hazel Days" is carried by a soft, bright guitar line and Paige Coley's warm and intimate vocals. Their debut EP is out on April 15th. - Glamglare

Orlando trio Kinder Than Wolves will release their debut EP Mean Something, 15th April. The first single, “Hazel Days,” is today’s Dose
“Delicate and hazy, the EP gently smolders like a cool blue flame. The shy flicker of the guitar is an invitation to step into the waterfall of sound on display.
“For Kinder Than Wolves the process of writing and recording their first album was a collaborative effort. All three members are audio engineers by trade, but it was singer and guitarist Paige Coley who produced, engineered, and mixed the EP in their converted studio/home. Coley says, “The title ‘Mean Something’ was chosen partly as a reminder for our future selves to remember why we make music.” Coley, combines her aqueous vocals with Ryan Snow’s shimmering guitar and Grant Freeman’s rolling drums. [via GLG Pub] - Insomnia Radio

Orlando trio Kinder Than Wolves (Grant Freeman, Paige Coley and Ryan Snow) offer up some atmospheric indie pop with their beautiful debut Hazel Days– a sparkling slice of luscious melodies paired with dreamy and evocative vocals. What’s not to love? The track is part of their coming EP titled Mean Something. Check out Hazel Days above and swoon. - Diamond Deposits