SPREADING ‘LIGHT’
Balance and Composure broadens its sound on latest album
Ten years has passed quickly for Jon Simmons. So fast that he didn’t realize his band, Balance and Composure, will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
“We haven’t begun to think about it,” he says during a recent interview from Nashville, Tenn. “But we will do something special. We have some time to figure it out.”
Since 2007, Simmons has been part of the alternative rock band, along with Erik Petersen, Andy Slaymaker, Matt Warner and Bailey Van Ellis.
In that time, the quintet has released three full-length albums and eight EPs.
The band’s most recent album is 2016’s “Light We Made.”
The album was produced by Will Yip. Simmons says Yip helped the band broaden its sound and tone down its hardcore, punk-rock roots.
“The sound that came out more harmonic than we’ve done,” he says. “It took us about a year for the album to come together, and we’re very proud of it.”
Balance and Composure released its first album, “Separation,” in 2011. That album found critical acclaim, and the group spent a lot of time on the road with bands such as Circa Survive, La Dispute, Title Fight and Touché Amoré.
In 2013, it released its second album, “The Things We Think We’re Missing,” which peaked at No. 51.
Simmons says that on the tour, the band is playing the majority of “Light We Made.”
He also says the writing process is on hold for a bit.
“Two of the guys are in the process of planning their own weddings,” he says. “We really want to give them the time to concentrate on the next part of their personal life. We have time to create new music and aren’t in a rush to get anything out. ‘Light We Made’ is still very new to us, and we’re still very excited to be performing the songs from the album.”
After 10 years performing, Simmons still enjoys each day he can get on stage to perform.
“It’s very therapeutic,” he says of being on stage. “It’s something that I’ve seen myself doing for a long time. To be able to travel the world is amazing.”