Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Frantz.
Hi Chris, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is Chris Frantz. I am the singer, songwriter, and producer for my Baltimore-based alternative rock/Shoegaze adjacent project Palm Trees In Moscow. I have been playing in bands since I was 15. My primary instrument is guitar, but I also provide the voacls, program drums, play bass, and dabble with synths. I moved from Southern Maryland to Baltimore in my twenties and was impressed by the groundswell and variety of independent artists in the mid-Atlantic. Initially operating as a three piece band and performing shows throughout the east coast and midwest, PTIM evolved into a mostly solo project for myself as I became more hands-on with the production and began collaborating with other artists who inspire and influence me.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Nothing good ever comes easy, and that was a valuable lesson for me to learn. If someone is great at something, they make it look seamless-but as an outside observer, you don’t see the road they took to get there. The first big obstacle for me was realizing that you sometimes you can’t rely on anyone but yourself to execute your vision. If you love something, no one will do it better than you, because they couldn’t possibly care about it as much as you do. I still collaborate with some incredible talents, but I can’t solely rely on others to give me the support I need when I need it. This pushed me to start producing and mixing my own music.
While I was initially inspired by more garage-rock adjacent artists (The Replacements, Guided By Voices, Pavement, The Pixies), I soon started paying much closer attention to production. Mixing and producing music seemed like a daunting endeavor to me. My life was changing and it felt like an impossible task. While I still have a lot to learn, and have some amazing help from industry veterans, I’ve developed a keen ear due to my love of a variety of music and attention to some of my favorite artists and how they handled production. This developed from hours of reading the liner notes to every album I bought as a kid (a joy the younger generations sadly rarely get to enjoy). While there is no greater feeling than performing live and pouring out that sweat and emotion to your audience on stage, a revelation I had that the live experience is ephemeral- the music you put “on wax” is forever. A wise person once said “no one ever remembers when you put out an album- they just remember whether it was good or not.” I carry this mantra as I take great care and patience with polishing my music.
With more responsibilities came more emphasis on managing my time in order to put my ideas down as effectively as possible. Being a Pisces and a little bit of an abstract thinker, my old method of putting together a song was the “marble sculpture” method. By that I mean that I would throw down every idea I had into a huge, unwieldy project (a huge, heavy, hunk of marble), and over time whittle it down until it was the song I wanted (hopefully the rock and roll equivalent of the Renaissance Statue of David; an extreme analogy, but you get the idea-I hope). The danger in this is losing focus. The more you hear something, the less objective you are to what’s good and what’s not. Once I became more confident in my process, I was able to give myself a time frame, go into my home studio with a plan, and hold myself accountable. Carving out that vision beforehand is key to not only getting satisfying ideas done in time but also being a more prolific songwriter and artist.
When I first started taking the reigns of recording my own music, I had to learn a hard lesson about time management. I was a bartender for years to a) pay the rent and survive and b) buy all the precious gear I needed to record and perform live, in addition to the expenses that add up when you are an independent artist. After working a 12 hour shift (outdoors at a dock bar in the heat), and dealing with a stressful, loud environment, sometimes I wouldn’t feel inspired to pick up the guitar. COVID hit, shut down the restaurant business for awhile, and forced me to take stock as to what was important. Through this I audited myself and my process quite a bit, and during that time of isolation and uncertainty, I wrote some of the most honest, emotional, and dare I say best songs of my life. That time period was actually quite helpful, as it motivated me to finish the songs quicker because I didn’t want to spend excess time reflecting on that dark period of my life.
This experience was a vital lesson in time management. Ironically, as my life progressed, and I had more than ever on my plate (getting married, finishing school, having a daytime career), I became much more efficient and successful in setting aside time to not only write and record music, but to execute it properly and satisfyingly. I now have a remote job that allows me more flexibility for my creativity and travel, as well as an amazing wife who is inarguably my biggest supporter (and occasional collaborator). Being able to have that control in your life to spend time with your loved ones, be successful in your day job, and thus, fulfilled and inspired in your artistic life, is a very delicate (but vital) balance to strike.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
For brevity’s sake, Palm Trees In Moscow can best be described as grungegaze, dark pop, and alternative rock. The elevator pitch, however, is this: Palm Trees In Moscow specializes in introspective, emotional alternative rock designed to paint portraits of familiar frustrations and emotions in huge, shimmering, reverb-drenched broad strokes. The music pushes forward while still carrying a deep sense of nostalgia through its grunge, shoegaze, and new wave influences. Artists ranging from Depeche Mode, Failure, The War on Drugs, and Quicksand to timeless pop songwriting in general serve as major inspirations for the sound.
One thing I am especially proud of is maintaining my artistic vision throughout a constantly changing musical and technological landscape. It is easy for artists to get caught up in trends, “feed the algorithm,” and compare their successes and shortcomings to their peers. In my opinion, comparison is the thief of joy, and there are already enough “vampires of joy” in today’s world. I have always written, recorded, and presented ideas that I genuinely believe in and have no regrets about. Whether it’s a guitar tone, a video I edited or directed, or artwork I designed, it all comes from my head, and I stand behind it 100%.
Another thing I’m proud of is using the often mind-numbing world of social media to establish meaningful creative connections. For example, speaking of reading liner notes, I reached out to Jordon Zadorozny of Blinker the Star to professionally mix and master my last three singles. While flipping through the liner notes of his album “August Everywhere”, I noticed that Kellii Scott — drummer of one of my favorite bands, Failure — had performed on the record. I reached out to him as well, and he ended up contributing drums to several tracks on my upcoming release, which I’m incredibly excited about.
Achieving that kind of synchronicity and alignment — where artists I deeply respect not only offer advice but also contribute to my music — feels truly special. Beyond that, I’ve built relationships with numerous college radio stations across the country that have supported and spun my singles. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about turning complete strangers into genuine supporters and friends who connect with what you’re creating. I look forward to continuing to network, share my music, and discover more amazing independent artists along the way!
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
This characteristic applies to my every day life as well: being an active listener. Even if you don’t agree with or “get” what someone is doing at first, you should listen anyway. This will enable you to learn what “to do” or, more importantly, “what not to do”. Artists often love talking about their process (case in point is this interview!). An artist should never be hesitant or afraid to ask someone else “how did you do that?” or “what did you do to achieve that?”. Joe Strummer of The Clash once said (I paraphrase): “to be successful, find out what the person you admire the most is doing, and copy them.” While that is kind of funny and can be a broad statement, the sentiment is the same. Basically, always keep your ears and mind open and never stop listening and learning, and apply what you learned to your process. When you’re ripe you rot-when you’re green, you grow.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://palmtreesinmoscow.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/palmtreesinmoscow/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/palmtreesinmoscow/
- Twitter: https://x.com/PalmTreesInMscw
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@PalmTreesInMoscow
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/palmtreesinmoscow
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6P4UmhtAKtDrxHU0KjxgSD?si=DxHPw9NGT8mRn8bdz-rfag
