EMBRACING THE ANTI-HYPOCRISY
AN INTERVIEW WITH MO TROPER
The Portland, Oregon based singer-songwriter, Mo Troper, makes pop songs. Why? Because he likes them.
Born in Los Angeles in 1991, he moved between Los Angeles and Portland frequently during his childhood, before settling in Portland when he was 10.
Troper grew up in a musical household, listening to The Beatles on 7β coloured vinyl on his portable turntable. Obsessing over songs like βDay Tripperβ and βPaperback Writerβ as well as Badfingerβs βCome and Get Itβ and The Osmondsβ βOne Bad Apple,β he never thought that he would pursue a career in music.
βI didnβt start making music and playing songs until I was probably 13,β said the singer-songwriter. βIt was pretty organic. It wasnβt like βOh hey, this is something I want to do nowβ. I didnβt have an epiphany or something. Iβve always liked music. This just an extension of my love for it, as corny as that sounds, but anyone who loves music enough is going to try to play it.β
MO TROPER – BELOVED ALBUM REVIEW
While still in his teens, Troper formed power-pop band Your Rival, which continued well out of high school. However, after releasing one full-length LP and one EP, the band dissolved in early 2015.
From there, it took Troper a while to get back into the creative mode. He recalled having a dry spell following the bandβs breakup, before the writing process of his upcoming solo debut, Beloved. That would quickly change when he was asked to housesit for his grandmother last spring, where he wrote the majority of the new LP.
βI just had a lot of creative energy,β said Troper. βIt was this thing where Iβd be really angry or frustrated with someone and that would inspire a song. I think thatβs a very healthy outlet for frustration. Iβm not usually this bitter so I donβt think itβs reflective of who I am as a person or a friend. Itβs kind of like my angry, frustrated alter-ego.β
Beloved, isnβt quite a concept album, according to Troper, but the songs do share an underlying theme of βanti-hypocrisyβ as the songs were inspired by some hypocrisy in his immediate friend group, but also about the city of Portland in general.
As far as future plans, Troper is somewhat uncertain. However, he is sure that he wants to remain a solo act and has plans to explore a more βlushβ sound, rather than the hardedge power-pop on his upcoming release.
Mo Troperβs debut album Beloved will be released April 29 on Good Cheer Records.
ArtistΒ Links
SPILL NEW MUSIC: MO TROPER – “IF IT MAKES YOU HAPPY” (SHERYL CROW COVER)
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MO TROPER – BELOVED
SPILL NEW MUSIC: MO TROPER – “PAINT”
