All the best love songs provide a second-hand high, and Tomper’s “Cruise Control” is no exception. Released last month, the Salt Lake City band’s debut single is a sunny indie-pop tune about the joys of sharing your passions with your partner. It’s also a statement of purpose for the band, which is fronted by husband-and-wife duo Tom and Piper Petersen.
“‘Cruise Control’ is about including the ones you love in the things you love to do,” they explain. “The song mentions Haruomi Hosono, Akiko Yano, going to the show, and watching The Sopranos—these are symbols of our relationship as songs we’ve shown each other, trips we’ve been on, as well as everyday life.”
Directed by Garrett Bennion, the music video is all sunshine, smiles, and streamers as Tomper hop into a van and head to the desert for a seemingly spontaneous day trip. The vibe is carefree and communal, reflecting the band’s collaborative approach.
“After getting stuck on this song and being afraid I wouldn’t do it justice, I chatted with Paul Cherry after a show in Salt Lake City and he immediately shared ideas he insisted I use, including the ‘Jimi Hendrix chord’ after the first chorus as well as the drum patterns,” Tom recalls. “I recorded his voice beatboxing the rhythm and our conversation (heard at the beginning of the song), and I took it to artist/producer Joe Sandholtz to follow Mr. Cherry’s instructions and finished the song with the help of drummer Matt Timmons and Denney Fuller on horns and additional percussion. Denney referred me to Kevin Basko for mastering. After working with Basko on the song, he also offered to help record the upcoming EP.”
“Cruise Control” is out now via UPHERE! Records. You can check out the visual for that first glimpse of their forthcoming EP below.
