Billy Peake shares new LP ‘Manic Waves’

For over two decades, Billy Peake has been a fixture of Ohio’s music scene, shaping the sound of his hometown through talent, creativity and exploratory outlook. Hailing from Columbus, he first made his mark as a founding member of Miranda Sound, a band that carried the torch for guitar-driven rock in the early 2000s.

Playing alongside acts like Nada Surf, The Wrens and The Posies, they earned a reputation for melodic intensity and songwriting honesty, even landing a slot at Lollapalooza in 2003. Over four albums Miranda Sound burned bright before disbanding amicably in 2008. Not one to stay still, Billy then stepped into the frontman role with Bicentennial Bear, a power pop outfit that kept his passion for melody alive across two albums until their eventual wind-down in 2019.

Billy’s musical origins stretch back much further, to early-80s Youngstown, where a childhood spent listening to The Cars, Supertramp and Cheap Trick in his cousin’s Pontiac LeMans sparked a lifelong fascination with melody and energy. His work, then and now, captures that same era’s sense of optimism and bite and later, while at Bowling Green State University, college radio opened the door to another wave of influence. Shudder to Think, Soul Coughing and Radiohead became part of his musical world, while witnessing The Afghan Whigs live in 1998 gave him the encouragement to finally start writing songs.

After years of touring, countless gigs and a self-imposed hiatus spent raising a family, Billy is now back with Manic Waves, his first solo record and an emphatic reintroduction to an artist still chasing the thrill of reinvention. Starting out with attic demos in the aftermath of Bicentennial Bear’s final shows soon blossomed into an exciting new project during the pandemic; writing without a band for the first time, he experimented freely, pairing fuzz-drenched college rock with the textures of New Wave.

Manic Waves is brought to life with a stellar crew of revered collaborators like engineer Mike Montgomery, mastering by Sarah Register, whose credits include David Bowie and Depeche Mode while drummers Stephen Bidwell and Matt Johnson add their flair to the rhythm section. Longtime collaborator Jason Mowery and Extra Special’s Belle Mare also lends their exceptional talents to the record.

Opened by “Go Back to Where You Came From,” Billy takes aim at white male privilege on a track that drifts into focus with hay guitar textures before the laid back shuffle of drums and choked guitar rhythms form a mellow groove for his smokey vocals to glide above. Title track “Manic Waves” jumps straight into an uptempo scene of bright brass tones and lively rhythms as his compelling vocal leads glide in to spin catchy hooks, forming an invigorating and instantly memorable indie rock outing.

One of the album’s most irreverent moments follows with the lighthearted jam “Granddad Was a Demon” which rolls with punchy drums, buzzy instrumentation and subtly satirical lyricism. With “Inadvertent Trip,” the hurried patter of drums ushers in a moody soundscape of layered guitar textures and expressive vocal performance, framing Billy’s intricate songwriting in a brooding setting dashed with swooping backing vocals and biting guitar tones.

Other highlights on the record come with tracks like his debut solo single “Annie, You’re a Lightning Bolt,” a song penned for his daughter, offering a showcase of his heartfelt writing and more affecting side of his output with guest vocals from Belle Mare. “Maybe We Shouldn’t!!” serves up a grooving rock outing where hopping beats propel hazy guitar riffs and commanding vocals which stitch slick melodies into the engaging musical fabric. Previously released single “Carrie Said Do The Math” tumbles into place with bright clean guitar notes, plodding bass lines and crisp drums as Billy’s vocals and warm brass elements guide the song through shifting moods from start to finish.

Closing the album with “There’s Not a Punk in the Universe…,” hushed vocal lines are draped over the gentle backing of soft guitars before the the jumpy energy of rustling drums and colourful brass-led instrumentation sets up a playful finale to his sensational new LP. Throughout, Manic Waves captures Billy Peake at his most reflective and revitalised, distilling the sound of a veteran musician still finding new ways to make noise that matters and we can’t wait to see what comes next in this exciting chapter of his enduring musical story.

Listen to Manic Waves below