Interview: 

Describe your approach to music and how you would explain your sound to others.

1. My approach has always been rather organic I suppose, meaning that I never seem to go in with too much planned. I write on the spot from a different instrument like guitar or bass to start and then fill the spaces with everything else. I usually write lyrics after I’ve come up with a solid foundation for the song. I typically start recording with the drums which, I’ve been told is odd but, it works in my case. I track everything. As far as how I explain the music or describe it usually is as a mix of rock and funk, blues and punk. I like the lo-fi sound so I use filters and things on the mixes. It has a ’70s vibe I think.

How did you come up with the name of your act?

I played with another guy who was a drummer years ago where some of the songs originated, especially on the first album I did, and we were called The Captains. So, in honor of that and it just being me now, I decided to call it I, Captain. Not a real exciting story but that’s all there is to the name. 

What are some artists and albums that have informed your creative direction?

I love lots of different music and find influence in most everything. It’s across the board really. I remember that The Dark Side of the Moon was the first album I really enjoyed as an album and not just songs. The whole production of that record is still amazing to me. I also love bands like Nomeansno, Quicksand and Into Another. They all had some classic albums like Nomeansno’s Wrong and Quicksand’s Slip and were part of my initial musical journey when I started as a drummer in junior high. Punk and hardcore was big in the ’90s.

What is the most exciting thing happening in music right now?

To me, it’s exciting that vinyl is popular again. I love listening to music on vinyl. There is just something a little better about it. Also, that the little guys in music, like me, have more platforms to use. I’ve heard so many good up and coming bands or artists on different streaming services. That’s pretty exciting I would say.

Where do you see the music world heading in the next five years?

I’m not sure. I feel like music has a way of reinventing itself sometimes. Old stuff gets popular again, new bands emerge out of nowhere, it can go any which way. A good bit of encouragement for musicians out there to never give up. Your music could wind up hitting at just the right time or a song that’s twenty years old could find a place in people’s hearts tomorrow. It’s a fun experience, even at the bottom.

How is music helping you during these uncertain times?

Well, music has always got me through different times in my life. Whether good times or bad times there is always something to listen to. A good song can put a smile on any face and a good song can see you through a tough time. People find life connections through music and the feeling it gives them. A song for every mood exists. I say with tough times, keep it positive and uplifting. That’s what works for me.

Cypress Key 

Sounds like: A new wave of Southern rock that both comforts and challenges the listener as the music swells and grows into a crescendo of New Orleans soul. 

Interview (Answers by frontman Mazz): 

Describe your approach to music and how you would explain your sound to others.

There’s no really set pattern to the writing. My preferred way is to have a cool hook or tagline pop into my head, transpose it to a piano for a vocal melody then run from there, but sometimes a mood on a guitar can set me on a path for a lyrical topic. I often try to have a good contrast between vocal melody and cadence, and the underlying backing track. I try to stay away from everything being in some sort of unison. I feel that it gives it more color and can capture contrasting moods. If I had to explain the sound, I’d say Adult Contemporary with a Southern feel. I think that the artists are generally wrong about categorizing their own sound because we are biased by what we were inspired by. I’ve had comparisons to Kenny Loggins and Black Crowes, and I assure you, they were not in my head at any time haha. I guess if I had to be vague, I’d say it’s uplifting music for an older crowd, or even younger people looking for a perspective on life topics. In my head, I’m often trying to sound like the greats — Noel Gallagher, John Lennon, or Alex Turner, but I think the Southern sound just comes out on its own and I’ve embraced it.

How did you come up with the name of your act?

The name Cypress Key came to me after several iterations of names containing words that make me think of Southeast Louisiana. I’m from New Orleans but wanted more of the Louisiana image vs the city, as NOLA is more associated with brass bands and funk. Cypress and oak trees are certainly a fixture here but oak just didn’t sound as cool as cypress. Of course, Cypress Hill comes to mind so the second word was crucial. Cypress Bayou was too expected and cliche, then keys, as in Florida Keys, sounded cool and you know, that’s hot and southern, so lets go with singular and there you have it.  

What are some artists and albums that have informed your creative direction?

Gotta admit, Teddy Swims really hit me recently. I think his music makes the adult contemporary genre more acceptable by the younger crowd, so I feel that it opened a door for me to experiment with embracing older influences. I don’t use the same 2025 production style that is on his albums but I think I could be near it on a Venn Diagram haha. I like to stick to just good sounding acoustic and organic traditional instruments. I just find that to be more fun and that’s ultimately why we do what we do! Now, for acts that have certainly influenced me, I will always have to put Noel Gallagher at the top of the writer list. Obviously, his songs are classics in every sense, but to me, I hear the working class kid in there trying to be heard in a world run by the arts. The Shins were one of the first bands to make me hear that gentle and insightful music can and should be intertwined with more aggressive genres to balance out a range of emotions.

What’s the most exciting thing happening in music right now?

An exciting factor in music right now is, as I mentioned earlier, the rise of the Adult Contemporary genre through Teddy Swims. Most changes happen in increments, so you can go back to Post Malone bringing in live instruments with a country sound while remaining hip-hop, Jelly Roll doing the near inverse of that progression, to of course Teddy Swims being a complete switch but having that same crowd all the way back to Post Malone. In an odd way, those acts did not influence my writing or sound at all, but they certainly opened the door for me. Now I just gotta open it! I also think that after a few uncertain decades, the promise of democratizing music via online distribution has finally been realized. The easy and publicly accessible distribution channels originally allowed too many people in. Many, still now, create one or two songs via samples, then vanish forever because they weren’t really cut out for it in the first place. This created a glut in supply but now I believe that the algorithms have been refined to catch artists really pushing and moving forward. Algorithms do not lie and although they are gatekeepers, if you put in the work, they will notice. The rest is up to you.

Where do you see the music world heading in the next five years?

I wish I could predict the future for music. If I could, I’d definitely jump on a trend ahead of time! I do believe though, that AI has and will continue to streamline the production chain. We must be vigilant that as artists, we do not let it become the creator. This has to be reflective of our personal stories and feelings and AI can be a tool to move it along. Mastering, small clip video for canvases, and album cover art can all benefit without it taking over. Just a few years ago, an image or photo of the band members would be definitely photoshopped and no one cared, but now because a prompt did the exact same process, it’s looked down upon, I don’t agree with that. Animation is the same thing. There is virtually zero difference between an animated Pixar looking clip or an AI generated one. Sorry, they’re both fake in a sense. When AI uses realistic people, or copies of celebrities, that’s wrong, similar to a musician not creating their own music. If you just used a prompt from start to finish, YOU didn’t create anything, but something that was in essence fake to begin with, such as animation or a photoshopped image, can continue to be fake.  

How is music helping you during these uncertain times?

Creating music has helped me through many rough personal and societal issues. Getting to capture a mood sonically or discussing deep issues to which others can relate is cathartic in every sense. I’ve discussed it, resolved it, captured a resonating mood, then could let it go. The absolute best feeling comes when someone else listening comments that they have related to the meaning. We all experience a myriad of emotions, often jumbling several together in an attempt to reconcile one feeling or event with the resolution. That’s mostly what “Just a Fool” tries to do. The beginning states the problem, the chorus says, it’s ok I’ll “learn to live with it”, and the ending changes mood and is now fully accepting of the reality and the listener and singer can move on.

look at fiona. 

Sounds like: A well-hued balance of shoegaze and dream pop in the sound, but from a place high in the Rockies under the evergreens. Fans of Pains of Being Pure at Heart and Beach House take note.