Daniel Sherman goes "Uncaged" For Debut Solo Album
It’s officially spooky season and if you’re needing a good soundtrack to accompany your pumpkin spiced latte, fret not. Daniel Sherman releases his solo debut album today titled, Uncaged.
Daniel is a multi-talented creative. He produces, raps, drums, podcasts and writes. The common thread? He’s a masterful storyteller. His origins may have started in an alternative rock band (Crowned In Chains), but the thing that’s remained true is vulnerability and fusion of fictional storytelling and music.
When you dive into the experience that is Uncaged (because it is an experience), you’ll discover that no two tracks share the same DNA. Each record on this album has it’s own vatange point. Daniel spoke with us about Uncaged, challenging predictability and he gives sound advice for artists releasing their debut project.
You’re not bound by one genre. How does exploring different genres help you create your sonic signature?
I used the phrase “Kill Your Expectations” to promote my It’s Still Us collaboration album with Giovanni Piazza last year, and I think that phrase really applies to every project of mine. My “signature” isn’t as much about the sound as it is content and the emotion behind it. If you bounce between my Terrible 21 album to the Evolving record to “What You Want,” the sound is drastically different across the board, but what stays the same is a story-driven dive into my mental health, philosophy, and personal expression. There’s a few genres people can always expect to pop back up, like hip-hop and alt rock, but I’m definitely dedicated to exploring and fusing new sounds and new genres in everytime I pick up the pen.
Since you explore and experiment a lot musically, do you yourself listen to a variety of genres
I do! I remember this revelation I had in high school that there was more out there than just pop-punk and metal music. I had this very impactful introduction to hip-hop when I saw NF live back before his Therapy Session album dropped, and it inspired me to go back and listen to as much of it as I could. I had always rejected hip-hop, but I quickly realized that hip-hop was at the heart of so many bands I loved like Linkin Park and Thousand Foot Krutch. Once that door opened, others followed like pop, EDM, folk, jazz, indie rock, etc. A world of sound exploded in front of me and I was desperate to hear it all. I’ll often study specific artists or even genres of film / tv before I begin production on an album to find sonic inspirations to pull from and warp into my own.
Your music is story driven. What comes first, the narrative you envision or the music?
It’s a combination of both. There are some songs on UNCAGED. that I wrote before I had any sort of vision for an album, and once I started writing the storyline and fleshing out the record, including a few of the songs I’d already written was a priority. It was a combination of altering the lyrics to a couple songs a bit to ensure it fit the storyline, and also building the storyline around these songs that I felt had a lot to say in them already.
“Uncaged” is your debut solo album. How has this initial body of work captured your artistic story so far?
I could not have made this record six years ago when I started, and I would even say I couldn’t have made it two years ago when I conceptualized it. I feel like every album or single I’ve released over the years has molded and shaped me into the artist I am today, and you can hear elements of each of those projects at the heart of so many of these songs. The sound is undeniably different, but the place the songs come from might be the same place I tapped into with my band four years ago, or with Mike Shinoda on my song “What You Want.” This album feels like the first time I’ve made anything that is truly 100% who I am as an artist. It’s exactly how I envisioned it with no compromise on sound, and no outside voice overruling any of the ideas. This is how I hear music in my head when I write it.
You wanted to “confront and challenge” predictability. How do we as artists (and as humans) not turn predictability into complacency?
I love this question. I would love to see more artists challenge “industry templates” in the way they build songs and albums. What if we stopped caring what our track five was? What if we stopped caring about keeping songs under 3:30 for radio? What if we used storyline / lore not only as something to build hype for our projects or to attach to pre-existing work, but let it drive an entire album? Even better, what if more artists asked “What would make my listeners / the music industry uncomfortable because it’s never been done before / hasn’t been done often?” That question is the only reason we have as much diversity in music as we do! Let’s keep asking that question.
At the same time, I think more people need to start listening to music that’s “unconventional” or “experimental.” Don’t skip that song because it’s nine minutes long, but soak it in and ask why the artist would make it that way. Dive into genres you’ve considered “off-limits” for yourself and seek answers on why other people love that style of music. Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable with music!
What would your advice be to someone releasing their first album?
Make the music you would want to listen to. Don’t compromise who you are as an artist just to reach more people. Create a project that you would fall in love with.
Have something real to say. Your album can be fun / loose, but don’t let it be fun / loose for the sake of not having anything to say. In the same way, don’t make a sad album just for the sake of making something sad. Express what you feel, and have a mission in mind for the project. Art is a powerful tool with the potential both to unite and inspire, or to divide and discourage. Wield it wisely.
Thank you to Daniel for sharing a little bit of his story and process of Uncaged with us! Go stream Uncaged, NOW!