OVRFWRD’s Kyle Lund: “The Rickenbacker 4003 truly did change the way I play and approach the bass.”

In the heart of Minneapolis, a quartet known as OVRFWRD has been steadily crafting their sound within the instrumental progressive rock scene. Their fifth studio album, There Are No Ordinary Moments, released on January 12th, 2024, marks another step in their musical journey. BassEmpi.re spoke with Kyle Lund, OVRFWRD’s bassist, to get an insight into the creative process and equipment that contribute to the band’s sound.

Lund’s enthusiasm for his Rickenbacker 4003 bass is evident from the outset. “Three years ago, I got my dream bass: a Rickenbacker 4003,” he explained. “I had barely scratched the surface of what it would feel like or how it would sound before I took a leap into it. The bass exceeded my expectations and then some. Playability is off the charts, and the dynamics, specifically the low end that I thought would be lacking, were all there. This bass truly did change the way I play and approach the bass. Well worth the wait; only wish I had reached out for one sooner, but oh well.”

When discussing the songwriting process for the album, Lund underscored the collective effort involved. “We approach the writing process using a ‘longhand’ approach, taking a band member’s initial ideas and fleshing them out in the rehearsal room. We always create the songs and arrangements this way, together. As mentioned, my new bass changed so many things for me. I felt that on this extra-long writing cycle, my bass was going to be heard more than ever. For a band on its fifth studio project, that was something I was aware of.”

Lund also touched on the challenges and rewards of crafting specific tracks. For Serpentine,’ he noted, “I tuned my E to C, which I had never done before. I found out how very flexible the string was and is very volatile. I had to watch myself and not get too out of a nice straight line playing those notes! I used my old MusicMan bass for this, and it worked out well in the end. It took a long time to get there for sure.” And regarding Notes of the Concubine, he shared, “I had to really stretch out and do things I had not done before. It has a jazz feel. I am very proud of how it all turned out, but there was a challenge again for myself to do the right thing. I am still developing and refining this song as we move into the live performance of this one for sure.”

Regarding the album’s broader appeal, Lund mentioned, “Our keyboard player, Chris Malmgren, wrote an epic piece, Eyota, which is a 4-piece orchestral composition that must be heard to be believed in my humble opinion. This is an organic song that took time, patience, and a lot of heart to create. It is something we have never done before and, to my ears, is the centerpiece of There Are No Ordinary Moments.” He also reflected on the album’s style, saying, “most people who have heard it have commented that, in general, we made a more jazz-style album. From the inside looking out, I can see this more as time goes on and listening to the recording. Fusion is a good word for it, right?”

OVRFWRD’s There Are No Ordinary Moments is available now on Bandcamp.