Popular American culture teaches us that the wayward times of young adulthood leave once a person enters their 30s, life becomes a little more focused.
But that’s not always the case according Joey Ryan, one half of the indie folk band The Milk Carton Kids. Both Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale sing and play guitar for the acoustic band. The duo is known for their harmonizing vocals and classic approach to folk music.
“It’s not that different actually,” Ryan said. “A 30-year-old can still be coming of age and not a real adult as in society’s concern.”
The duo, hailing from Eagle Rock, Calif., has been recording and releasing albums independently since their formation in 2011. In March, they released their first studio album titled “The Ash and Clay.”
Ryan said that the inspiration behind the album came from an inspiration to connect the audience with what they were going through. It’s also a goal they hope to accomplish when they perform at the Bijou Theater Friday night.
“I think it was important for us to get outside of ourselves a bit and the world we live in (and) what it’s like to be a 30-year-old in America 2012,” Ryan said. The two began recording the album last year.
Ryan said the record has a more “outward-facing” approach and that the band steered away from a more subjective focus to reflect issues others their age were experiencing.
The theme of an adult in his or her late 20s being established in life yet still feeling like an adolescent from life became the major theme after a recording session with Ryan and Kenneth one night.
“At one point, these were all college graduates, employed 28-year-olds and at that moment they all realized they were still living in their parent’s houses,” Ryan said. “The coming-of-age process has either been delayed or extended. We have, in a lot of ways, fully developed the psychological and philosophical capabilities but we are still figuring out how to employee them. It’s still an in-between stage.”
While the process of adulthood is still an unclear path, Ryan said the band is sure about the type of music they produce and what inspires them.
Recently the folk genre has claimed the spotlight on radio airwaves, but Ryan says this genre is influenced more by pop. He said he doesn’t listen to much modern folk music and doesn’t see the band as fitting into this mold, despite the large amount of popularity they have gained.
As far as inspiration goes, Ryan said the band is following behind artist who they admire, such as folk singers who music dates back to 80 or 100 years.
“I hope someone would consider us in that name, but I try not to take too much though into it,” Ryan said.
As for the future, Ryan said that he hopes the band can continue on the path that they’re on, with a few possible tweaks to their traveling schedule.
“I’d like to be able to go to Japan,” Ryan said. “This year we went to Europe and Australia. It’s a really cool thing to make records as a duo and play shows as duo. We’ve found something that fulfilling and I’d rather we not change it.”
The Milk Carton Kids will be perform Friday at 8:30 p.m. in the Bijou Theater as the opening act for musician Josh Ritter. Tickets can be purchased on www.knoxbijou.com.
