Cannons - Everything Glows

Elvis Presley is a permanent fixture in reflections of my childhood. Videotapes of live performances and reruns of his old movies are all part of the patchwork ephemera of those early days. In the hierarchy of things, there was Elvis, the Pope, and everything else. In that order.

By osmosis, these experiences came to colour my fantasies, particularly of Las Vegas. Its glory days playing out in my mind's eye in a blur of vivid technicolor. The Golden Nugget, the Rat Pack, and of course, The King, all filled my mind with an almost combustible sense of wonder.

Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley in Concert brought all those memories flooding back, and more importantly, reminded me of the importance of music as a form of escapism - a timely realisation against the backdrop of an increasingly maddening world.

At Some Other Time, we’ve always seen the arts as a vessel for understanding people and places. When we think of Los Angeles, Cannons are one of the first bands that spring to mind. Now releasing their fifth studio album Everything Glows via Columbia Records, their shimmering synth-pop has long captured a particular vision of the city - wide highways, vast skies, and a pervasive sense of endless possibilities.

Since releasing their debut album Night Drive back in 2017, the band have become synonymous with a particular style. 80s-inspired, sensual sounds colour their discography, but on this new record, any sense of fantasy gives way to something much more grounded. Across it’s eleven tracks, the band explore themes of longing, late nights, and the messier edges of the human experience in all its kaleidoscopic glory.

The album also marks a rebirth of sorts for the trio; following a period of health struggles within the band, lead vocalist Michelle Joy turned to the creative process as a means of recovery. Ahead of the record’s release, we caught up with her to talk about how Everything Glows came together and most importantly, how she’s doing now. 

Photo Credit: Cannons by Travys Owen

Hey, how are you? Where are you guys right now, and what have you been up to lately?
Hi, I’m good! We’re in Los Angeles right now, getting ready for the album to come out on March 27th and rehearsing for tour which starts March 31st.

Everything Glows is your fifth studio album. How would you say the people who made this record differ from those who wrote Night Drive eight years ago?
When we made Night Drive, we were still figuring things out, all working full time jobs and doing music on the side. This record (because we were able to take the year off everything else and just focus on the music) feels more intentional and cohesive. We understand each other better now, and we know how to bring out the best in one another.

How has your relationship as a trio evolved over the years, both musically and personally?
There’s a deeper level of trust now, where we don’t have to explain everything. Musically, it feels more intuitive like we can follow an idea without overthinking it. Personally, we’ve been through a lot together, so there’s a kind of understanding that makes everything feel more grounded.

When did you begin working on the new album? What was the initial spark that set everything in motion?
We started working on it not long after the last record, but it really took shape over this last year. There wasn’t one clear starting point, it was more gradual.

You’ve described this record as feeling like a “rebirth.” Can you talk about the process of reinvention - how did it manifest in the studio or while you were writing the album?
There was a lot of change around this record. We just finished some heavy touring. We were all pretty burnt out, which forced us to reevaluate saying yes to everything and how that could impact the longevity of the band. We stepped away from the team we had and brought on new management and started over in a lot of ways. We took time to focus on the new record and work on music together in new ways. We had an all around reset this past year.

Themes of heartbreak, co-dependence and liberation run through the record. How did you translate these complex emotions into the music? Is there a particular song that stands out as especially personal for you?
“Light As A Feather” stands out as especially personal. I remember waking up one morning and feeling so weightless, like something had shifted. It felt like a version of me from a few years earlier wouldn’t have even understood that feeling. I wanted to capture that moment, that sense of release and clarity after everything.

You’ve been very open about your health journey and how it shaped this album. How did you navigate the balance between your healing process and the demands of creating the record, and what role did the band play in supporting you during that time?
It wasn’t always balanced. There were moments where I had to slow down and just focus on getting better. I had a major abdominal surgery that made singing difficult for a while and breath support was awful at points. But in a way, the music became part of that process. Ryan and Paul were really supportive, there was a lot of patience and understanding, which made it possible to keep creating without forcing anything. They kept the ship sailing and we moved at the pace we needed to. As a whole it just made me feel so much closer to them and loved and supported. Couldn’t be more grateful to be in a band with them, truly!

What records or artists were you listening to while writing this album? Did anything in particular influence the sound or feel of Everything Glows?
I was listening to a lot of music that feels timeless, Sade, Cocteau Twins, Madonna, Prince etc. I think those influence’s are always there in some way, even if it’s not direct.

How would you describe Everything Glows in one sentence?
A record about losing yourself in the dark and slowly finding your way back to the light.

You’re about to embark on a huge tour. What does the collective experience of live music mean to you, especially in the current climate?
It feels more important than ever. There’s something about being in a room with people, all feeling the same thing at the same time, that you can’t really replace. It’s one of the few spaces where everything else kind of falls away for a while. That connection is what I’m most excited to get back to.

Everything Glows by Cannons is out now via Columbia Records.