Interview hosted by Michael Halloran. Produced by Myles Crawley. Edited by Rich Aquino.

Half Greek, half Latin, the words Alpha Rev pulled together loosely mean “the beginning of something new.” At least that’s how Texas-born musician Casey McPherson describes the name of the group he fronts. He goes on to say, “It’s that feeling when the light bulb goes off, that instant of inspiration and redemption, those moments that keep us going forward.”

It’s also an apt description of the music on the band’s major label debut for Hollywood Records. Produced by David Kahne, the record overflows with intense soul-searching, memorable lyrics and instantly accessible melodies. And it’s the melodies that provide the backbone of Alpha Rev’s music. “Melody is what connects the music — it takes you somewhere, gives you a memory, gives you hope, changes your mind, lets you chill out, drive a little bit farther or stay up a little bit later,” McPherson notes. He sat down with Halloran for an interview while we were at Sunset Sessions.