Ben Bourque: Charming to the Last was born out of a discussion about New Year's resolutions in January 2019. Alex and I jokingly asked each other if we had any resolutions and Alex said his was to record an EP. We had tinkered with demos and other recordings over the years but have always wanted to create something substantial together. I jumped on that and said if I can help in any way, to let me know. He said, "well obviously I'm not going to sing," and the band was born! Things snowballed from there as we picked up the equipment that allowed us to collaborate and record together with over 1,000 kilometers between us (or about 600 miles for those south of the border). The name itself was lifted from Star Wars.

Ben: We were both raised in military families, so we typically kept friendships within a 4-year cycle. You'd move, make new friends, build those relationships for a few years and then move again. That being said, Alex is the only friend I've remained in contact with from my childhood. I would attribute that connection to similar interests, outlooks, and most importantly, humor. I rarely ever come close to laughing as hard as I do when Alex and I are together.

Ben: The hardest part has been putting myself out there. It's a tough spot when you want to share your music and have it heard, but also want to mostly keep to yourself and off social media. So, learning what works, what doesn't, and what I feel is worthwhile to sink my energy into has been challenging. The most rewarding is simply having a completed product I feel proud of and don't cringe when I hear, haha. Hearing positive feedback and having people come back to buy more CDs to give to others has been rewarding as well.

Ben: 1) Mae - The Everglow
2) Relient K - Mmhmm
3) Jimmy Eat World - Chase This Light
4) Sherwood - A Different Light
5) Deas Vail - Birds & Cages

Ben: I was always a fan of the supernatural thriller sub-genre and grew up reading Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker. I'm not sure exactly what drew me to them, but I found that I grew spiritually when I felt like things we would consider "other-worldly" were given a tangible presence. It was like so many aspects of the spiritual were so far beyond understanding that it was grounding when it was dealt with on a personal level. For myself, I find it easy to get caught up in the theology and lingering questions, but I consistently work to strip it all down to the basics (see: the song "All I Have").

Ben: It's hard. When things are going well, it's hard. When complications arise, it's even harder. I honestly wish that had been communicated properly before I had kids. When you're constantly told that it's so rewarding and the best thing that will ever happen to you (even though that's true!), it makes the difficulty of parenting seem unique to you and your situation. The sooner you can fully understand that concept and learn that your world really does change completely when you have kids, the sooner you can learn to love how things look for you now and embrace the challenge. Parenting really is incredible and I sincerely wouldn't change a thing, but it's hard.

Ben: It has changed quite a few times, but my current favorite song is Run. At times it feels like a minor song on the album, but it's currently my favorite lyrically. In my writing, I've always been so concerned about how my songs will be perceived, so I wrote this song to myself. Despite the bouncy verses and vocal layers, it's deeply personal.

Ben: Just like with the books I read, I find myself drawn to scripture I find spiritually "grounding." For me, it's Paul's letters. Being able to place those letters in history and see the clear intent behind them is fascinating to me. I have the luxury of working with someone who has a deep understanding of the scriptures and their place in history and I always enjoy hearing how those words fit into the culture at the time and are still as relevant today.

Ben: Not currently. We've been tossing ideas back and forth about live streaming and acoustic sets, but with our full-time jobs and families, our window of free time is limited. We will definitely update our page and send out news blasts if that ever changes!

Ben: Just that we're not stopping with this album! We're continuing to upgrade our equipment in an effort to chase the sound we're looking for. You can expect our next album to be a bit more experimental structurally, but we will continue updating our pages, so follow us around! We appreciate each and every interaction with you online.