Emotions flow through Signature Mistakes' newest release, “Candlestick.”
Singer-songwriter Tyler Common started Signature Mistakes as an outlet to channel songs he had been writing after his grandpa passed. That, plus watching his friends’ bands perform, motivated him to start making music.
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“I felt like I had something to say and developed my voice through writing honest songs,” Common said.
Since then, the project has continued to produce songs full of feeling and meaning.
Making music is one of the only things that makes him happy, he said, and he aims to make songs that capture his emotions and give listeners a personal look into his head.
“[Candlestick is] about knowing your full potential, but being too exhausted and unsure how to attain it,” Common said. “It’s a slowly building acoustic-rock/gloom-pop song about trying to break free from bad habits and self-hatred.”
Common said the song came from an idea he had for a long time, and he spilled the lyrics all out one day.
The lyrics are relatable and resonating.
“Feeling sorry for myself is getting old/Cuz I'm not sure how to take control,” Common sings. “I'm worn down and at war with myself.”
He described the song as more “mature” and defined than his previous work.
Common’s goal was to emulate some of his favorite artists, such as Death Cab For Cutie and John Mayer, while taking his own direction and sound.
He is also influenced by Motion City Soundtrack, Fall Out Boy and fun. The name Signature Mistakes actually came from a Motion City Soundtrack song.
In the song “Make Out Kids,” the line that mentions “cocktails and miniature Mistakes” inspired Signature Mistakes.
“The band was originally going to be called Miniature Mistakes, but I changed it to Signature because I thought that sounded better,” Common said. “The name is also molded around the idea that there are so many mistakes that only I would make, thus, a ‘signature’ mistake.”
Right now, Signature Mistakes is a solo project with a live band, but Common hopes to make it an official band soon.
His friend, Wasim Bazzi, frontman of Stay away and guitarist for Speak Low If You Speak Love, helped him make a full-band version of the track. In the studio, Isabelle Razo did backup vocals, Heather Duncan played piano, Jake LeMond and Andrew Benjamin played guitar and John Kick drummed.
For about a week, Common and Bazzi spent 12 hours a day working on the five-song EP, due out April 21.
An EP release show will be at the Pike Room in Pontiac on April 21. Ellis, Stay Away, Shortly and You Rest, You Joy Life will join Signature Mistakes at the show.