Derian Silva
Staff Writer
Perimeter Road’s new record “Perspectives of Parkland Vol. 1” showcases the talents of amateur musicians from the college’s student body, to be released later this month.
For many of the artists involved it was their first experience being recorded in a professional studio and dealing with a label; for the student engineers and student staff, it was a chance to get firsthand experience in what it is like to go from finding talent to promoting and putting out a record.
The students on the record come from various musical backgrounds, something that shows in album, which has songs in styles ranging from folk, to pop and hip hop. One thing students did have in common, however, was they all started with music when they were young and want to share their music in a way their peers can relate to.
Trevor Wood, a student involved with a lot of productions of Parkland from radio and drama to television production, says he found his confidence and creativity at Parkland. He wrote a folk song called “Drought in my Heart” which he finished it just a few days before submissions were due. He was inspired by a stint of terrible timing when his girlfriend went away on vacation for two weeks and he left on a one-week vacation the day before she got back.
Lezley Grey, another student artist, has found a strong and solid footing in the fine arts department which creates a community where he is comfortable to enough express himself creatively. He wrote a pop song with some rhythm-in-blues influences called “Do You Remember” inspired by a moment of clarity after admittance of an affair to his girlfriend. He felt that people would be able to relate to song as it sung and written from a very vulnerable place.
Zachary Austin is a student artist who says he has met many amazing artists and friends at Parkland who have inspired him and expanded his wisdom. He wrote a hip hop song called “Black Card” about getting so wrapped up in trying to make money that you forget to care about yourself as a person.
“I know so many people who definitely know how to love, because they love money,” Austin says.
Leah Bice is a student artist who gained confidence while singing at Parkland and took part in many creative endeavors that eventually steered her dreams to new places. She wrote the song “Stay” much in the same way that she learned to write music, by playing four chords and letting her emotions out. She wrote the song about a personal experience that happened about a year ago and hopes that others can relate to the song.
“I chose this song for the project because it captures what I am and want to be, as an artist,” Bice says.
Matt Wheeler was in a unique position being both an engineer and an artist on the album. He began writing songs at about age 11, after having learned drums, piano and guitar. Using song writing as a creative outlet for emotions he wrote a pop rock song called “Loved” that he wrote during a time in his life where he felt extremely lonely and was having a hard time finding love. He thinks that this is a very relatable song and as such should be the first one he puts out into the world.
The album will be released March 29, 2017.
For more information on Perimeter Road Sound Recordings go to faa.parkland.edu/prsr/index.html.
