Every musician winds up being the sum of their influences, but the truly great ones find distinctive ways to filter and adapt what they’ve absorbed from their heroes and peers alike into an original soundtrack all their own. Such is the case for Doug Albregts, the one-man band known as Little Falls Trophy.
Like many musicians before him, Albregts looked to The Beatles for guidance, but he found his own path for building upon The Fab Four’s impeccable songwriting template. “They were a trigger point for me because I was not a seasoned songwriter at the time,” Albregts observes. “I was taking notes while watching them as kids, and what struck me was their natural instincts. They took relatively simple things and were able to make them so unique, yet they also remained so complex in their own way.”
Those insightful observations also describe Little Falls Trophy’s second album, Dutch Motel, to a T.
Dutch Motel is set for digital release on July 7th from Rock Ridge Music (PRE-ORDER), with a limited edition 180-gram vinyl pressing available exclusively on the Little Falls Trophy website and at upcoming shows. Produced by Albregts, Dutch Motel was recorded and edited at Hapgood Studios in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey. It was mixed by noted engineer Josh Tyrrell (Mark Ronson, The Who, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Christine McVie, James Morrison, Mark Knopfler) at Supervox Studios in London, and mastered by Joe Lambert at JLM (Joe Lambert Mastering) in Cortlandt Manor, New York.
Dutch Motel is the portal pitstop that sets the course for where Doug Albregts the artist will travel next. Every one of this galvanizing album’s 11 songs are no mere dress rehearsals — they are all visceral chronicles of modern life being lived to the fullest. And now, the endless sonic awards of Little Falls Trophy’s Dutch Motel await your ears.
Today Glide is offering a premiere of the standout track “Thursday’s Day,” a song inspired by the high anxiety of being wrapped up in an endless loop of doomscrolling and day drinking. Obviously, these are topics many of us can related to and the band translates the idea into a everyman-style work of guitar-driven alt-rock. Tapping into the infectious qualities of many 90s rock acts, the song feels like it would be a radio hit in another era with its relatable lyrics, crashing guitars, and arena-ready drumming.
Listen to the track and read our quick chat with Doug Albregt below…
What prompted you to write this song? What was the inspiration behind it?
I’ve been amused by watching people become addicted to social media. Living in the moment has become a thing of the past. I think the pandemic period was like throwing a match on gasoline regarding phone abuse. The ubiquitous world we live in is making everyone wish they were somewhere else. Whatever they’re doing is always being usurped by someone else’s actions that are unfolding, real-time, on social media. Weekdays become weekends and everything starts to blend together. I was inspired by the idea that we’re missing out on the simpler side of life. Everything being chronicled in real time… it’s just batshit crazy. I wrote “Thursday’s Friday” exploring the idea of how we need to be more present in our lives.
How did this song come together when you wrote it? What was the songwriting process like?
It’s a pretty straightforward song, and I think it elevates nicely with the opening melodic riff. I start with an acoustic guitar on virtually everything, then stumble upon chord progressions that build nicely and play off of one another. I usually grab a melody off of a riff, as I did here with “Thursday’s Friday.” I then record all of the guitar parts to a basic beat once I decide on the tempo, and from there I get the bass down, and then build drums. The melody and lyrics always come at the very end for me. This is quite backwards for many songwriters, but it works for me. I need to hear all of the parts in unison to figure out where the song needs to go. This was one of the only songs on the album that I got back from the mix engineer Josh Tyrrell (Supervox Studios, London, UK) that was perfect right out of the gate.
When you recorded this song, what kind of vibe were you going for? Did it end up sounding like you expected it to or did it come out different from what you thought it would be?
I’m not sure I had any preconceived notions or vibe right out of the gate. The song has a silky little pop-rock thing happening, and it’s kind of a feel-good song that builds until the end. I think the jangly undertone gives it a hint of country or rockabilly, but it also has that poppy, tap-your-foot feel, too. I think the happier music side doesn’t get overshadowed by the darker undertones of the song. I believe that contradiction makes it unique. It comes across softer than I anticipated it would, but I think it also gives it a nice touch.
What do you hope listeners get from the song?
I hope the song can inspire people to have meaningful interactions with their friends, family, co-workers, etc. Of course, you want someone to fall for the groove, appreciate the melody and enjoy the build. My guess is those who dig the song will appreciate the simplicity, yet feel the complex undertones that give the song its unique feel. They can still use their phones to follow Little Falls Trophy, but nothing else!
Who are your biggest influences, musically speaking?
There are so many I’m not sure where to start. I’m a bonafide music junkie. I think watching the recent Beatles documentary, “Get Back,” changed everything for me. It made me realize how songwriting is not a science, but an art left to interpretation and individualization. I love music from every genre and every decade, except for maybe the ’70s. I would say bands like The Replacements, R.E.M., The Tragically Hip, and The Connells have had the biggest influence on what I’m doing now. But I like a lot of the newer music that’s emerging—bands like Surfaces, Public Library Commute, and Social Cig, to name a few.
