March 29--In the rise of '90s revivalist acts, Bloom fits somewhere in the middle. It's neither explicitly grungy nor fueled by pop-punk. The brainchild of singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and frontwoman Sam Larson, Bloom sounds instantly familiar, as though drifting permanently in the minds of angsty teens everywhere.
The band began as a solo project, with initial recordings beginning in 2014. For Larson it was a reflection of a new love, and she put her feelings into lyrics that became the base of her music. "I felt like there was no other way for me to express this except through music," Larson said. "I did that sort of as a catharsis."
Now Larson doesn't feel the desire to write so openly or explicitly about her own life. She's more drawn to the process of writing in character, or looking at herself from a broader point of view. Your typical singer-songwriter project, this is not.
Larson didn't create a full-fledged band until she was ready to tour. Since that initial tour, the band (finalized in August 2015 and including Joseph Montes, Yusuf Mohammed and Alexander Watson) remained, creating a more fleshed-out version of her initial project.
For one, the band serves as a jumping-off point for many of her new songwriting ideas. Many of the core ideas for her songs are in her head, but Larson will defer to the band if necessary to better articulate her initial point. Still, it is evident that she is the leader of the project, and with that role comes a certain responsibility to articulate her vision as clearly as possible. Thus far her efforts have been successful.
The songwriting process is an ongoing one for Larson, who contends she doesn't stop writing songs. "The songwriting process should always be as open as possible," she said. Larson and Bloom are at work on a new album, which will have 12 to 14 new songs. This newer material is darker, including references to death, loneliness, depression as well as the universal conundrum of confronting who you are versus who you want to be in the world.
"The last album was a lot more of a knee-jerk reaction and this one is more contemplative and taking serious note of things," Larson said. It is also a reflection of Larson's more deliberate songwriting choices. Rather than merely relying on herself as the narrator, she is drawn to formulating a deeper understanding of the world and the people around her. "There've been certain circumstances in my life that led me to not just reflect on how people touch me, but how I touch other people," she offered. "It takes a more mature understanding of things to realize things are more complex than what they seem. It's easy to see things in black-and-white terms."
On one track, "In Love With a Ghost," Larson explores self-harm and suicidal ideas, painting a scenario where that feeling is palpable. She says it was one of the most difficult tracks for her to write on the new album. In contrast, "Baby We Need A Break" was one of the easiest. Larson said the melody popped into her head for what is shaped as a diss song about an archetype.
By structuring her craft in this manner, Larson aims to connect with as many people as possible. "At first, it was because I needed attention, but I think as an artist, you have to grow out of that feeling," she said. "Shedding that egoism with music has altered my worldview."
But most importantly, she is driven by the idea that one never knows what other people are going through in their personal lives. Rather than feel exploitative, her process seems entirely sincere and in accordance with exploring the boundaries of her curious mind.
Britt Julious is a freelance reporter.
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When: 8:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Door No. 3, 1551 N. Damen Ave.
Tickets: Free (21+); www.doubledoor.com
