From the Band: The Barons is a US alternative band known for their raw energy, introspective lyrics, and distinctive guitar-driven sounds. Based in Richmond, Virginia, the group consists of Peyton Alley (vocals, guitar, keys), Josiah Ragland (lead guitar), Kirtland Gray (bass guitar, backing vocals), Mathes Glymph (drums, backing vocals), and Jack Peacock (saxophone, keys). Since their founding in 2016, the band has amassed a following from headlining colleges and venues on the East Coast as well as supporting alt acts such as Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Aces, Barns Courtney, Flipturn, and Judah & The Lion. The band has released a stack of singles since it’s founding and embark on their first full album release, Le Château, coming November 2025.
What non-musical thing (a book, a piece of art, a smell, a bizarre historical event) had the greatest unexpected influence on this new album/EP?
Peyton Alley of The Barons: I didn't think tech would be so involved in my writing but I'd say how rapidly tech has grown since covid and what it means to be a human artist now.
What is the one sentence “moral of the story” or life lesson that you hope a listener takes away from this specific body of work?
Peyton Alley of The Barons: The tiniest humanistic moments in life matter more now than ever.
Which one track on your new release has a private, personal “liner note” or backstory that fundamentally defines the song for you?
Peyton Alley of The Barons: The song “Innocence.” Both my grandfathers passed away since covid and seeing my family mourn his deaths has been an influence on how I live my life before I die
In your personal or creative life, what is the one difficult truth you keep having to “be a goldfish” about - using a short memory to forgive yourself and move past a failure?
Peyton Alley of The Barons: I'd say not finishing songs that I wasn't confident enough in and now looking back they would've been great for the band at the time if I kept pushing through.
What are you most genuinely and urgently curious about right now in life, and how is the pursuit of that curiosity currently driving your music?
Peyton Alley of The Barons: I'm curious to see where human relationships go and how artificial intelligence will affect these relationships and how we view our purposes.
