Do you have a story behind your artist name?
Jac-Lyn Gibson: I knew I wanted something with a feminine touch but all of our ideas were just not cutting it. My sister, who is a Latin teacher, suggested Athena’s Arrow because it was a nod to female strength and wisdom. My son Laurence helped us come up with ‘Arrows of Athena’.
Tell us a bit about your music journey. How has it shaped you?
Scott Lerner: Music is a massive part of my life and always has been. It’s more of an obsession, really. Honestly, other than my family, playing, writing, and recording music is one thing in life that makes me happy.
Gibson: My dad sang in an a capella group in East Boston and his musical influence definitely shaped my love for singing. By the time I could talk I was singing in front of our family while my dad played guitar and that was it. The music bug took off from there. I started singing in a church choir and then joined the school chorus which lasted well into my high school years. The moment I really knew I loved the stage was when I sang in our annual variety show during my high school years and continues to be a big part of my identity. I feel really fortunate to be able to come back to it during this season of my life.
How would you describe your sound to someone unfamiliar with it?
Lerner: This is always a tough question. I think that it’s fun, energetic, and harkens back to the ‘80s and ‘90s without hopefully sounding dated. We’re pretty forward thinking and are always looking for new music, but we love a lot of the music from that time.
Gibson: Ooh… let me think for a moment! OK, so I think it evokes a feeling of nostalgia for those who grew up in the ‘80s and ‘90s. There are plenty of bands out there right now but I really think we are doing a great mix of what others from our generation are also craving nowadays. A mix of pop, rock, and dancy beats without being generic and sounding like everyone else.
What drew you to the genre /instruments you’re playing right now?
Lerner: Necessity? [laughs] I was a bass player originally, switched to guitar as my main instrument, and then got into synths later. I love playing all of them and experimenting with sounds. I’m never married to a specific part, if there’s no need for guitar on a song, we don’t add it.
Gibson: I was listening a lot to Wolf Alice, The Sundays, Japanese House, Broods, and Blondie during the production of this album. I think when you listen to our album you can feel those influences sneaking in. I think lyrically our music gives a really cool mix of the female fronted bands I mentioned and Scott’s love of the British pop rock bands he grew up with in the ‘80s with his dancey drum beats.
What inspires you to write music?
Lerner: It’s almost a drive/obsession, something that I have to do. I took time away from it for a couple of years a long time ago and I was miserable. I’ll play and write music as long as I can. It’s something that sort of flows out of me.
Gibson: It makes me happy. It helps me sort through and put my feelings down in written form. I tend to keep my emotions close to my heart so this is my outlet to get all the shit out of my head that is causing discomfort as well as the things I have a lot of emotion for, like my kids and the hubby. Whether it’s the good stuff or the heavier shit that we all experience at one point or another.
Would you tell us about your current project, album/EP, or song you’re promoting?
Gibson: Our debut album The Ghost Archives is out April 26, and the next song we have coming up that we made a video for and are excited about is “Cure for Everything”. We felt it made sense to promote it around Mother’s Day because of the significance of the song – I wrote it about my daughter, Gwen, who just so happens to be born in May as well. It’s about becoming a mom and how kids really are the cure for everything.
What do you want listeners to take away from listening to your music?
Lerner: Hopefully they are left with a positive feeling and feel what we are trying to get across to the listener. Speaking for Jac-Lyn, we just love this album and what we are doing.
Gibson: It’s a vibe for sure. I hope it evokes an emotion from a similar experience or time in their life. I think in this chapter of our adult lives a lot of us have experienced the same ups and downs. I would love it if they are equally craving the sound we are creating and we leave them wanting more, but as Scott said, we love the path we are on and already can’t wait to get started on the next album!
Who are your top three artists right now? If that’s not a fair question, what’s your favorite song right now?
Lerner: This isn’t fair [laughs], there are so many. We definitely take inspiration from Curve, Garbage, Metric, Foals and The Cardigans. Also, Echo and the Bunnymen, Doves, Interpol… wow, I could just keep going.
Gibson: So many. As I mentioned before I was listening to a lot of Wolf Alice, The Sundays, Japanese House, Broods and classics like Blondie during this album. Nowadays I have been listening to The Kills, Maggie Rogers, Broods, CHVRCHES, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. Scott has also turned me onto Echo and the Bunnymen and The Psychedelic Furs. I could go on and on… my favorite song right now is probably everything on The Kills most recent album God Games. So good!
What’s the easiest way for fans to connect with you?
Lerner: Jac-Lyn is our social media guru. Feel free to reach out.
Gibson: Hey, ‘Call Me’!
Homepage: https://www.arrowsofathena.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arrowsofathena/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arrowsofathena
Bandcamp: https://arrowsofathena.bandcamp.com/
What’s next for you?
Lerner: Believe it or not, we’ve just started working on the follow-up to The Ghost Archives. We’ll see where the next album takes us. We’re also working on putting together a live band so that we can share the songs that way too.
Gibson: More music and hoping for live gigs… very soon!
Bio: Arrows of Athena is a cinematic alt-rock and alt-pop duo based in Boston. Composed of Scott Lerner (guitar, bass, synths, drum programming) and Jac-Lyn Gibson (vocals), the project began when the two friends decided to make music together again after 15 years apart. Their rekindled chemistry was instant, and the first batch of songs recorded just after the pandemic would go on to shape debut album The Ghost Archives, set for an April 2024 release via Belhaven Records. The record is preceded by a pair of singles – ethereal debut effort “Fade Away” and the propulsive “Reckless Heart” – which both showcase the band’s dramatic, panoramic sound: a kaleidoscopic pop and rock spectrum of big dance beats, heavy riffs, and melodic intensity. With each song swirling in a kinetic sense of love, loss, and yearning, Lerner’s guitar riffage, coupled with synth dynamics and punchy bass and drums, is paired with Gibson’s beautiful, and at times soulful, vocals for a fresh sonic palette that is both powerful and unique.
