“The band refers to me as Zef,” bassist Alex Zefron tells me, of the nickname he inherited from his father.
Here at SPIN we’ve considered Alex—“Zef”—one of our own since he joined our sales team back in December. We can’t take credit for his catchy alt five-piece Provider, though—that all started with Zef and three other members (they added a fifth member later) in the small Chicago suburb of Geneva, where they’d formed a band in high school. They’ve been together ever since and released their debut album, Automatic Thoughts, on August 10.
What’s unique is Provider’s fresh sound, reminiscent of all the best of their influences, combined with a boyish upbeat attitude they’ve—apparently—been able to transfer to their music.
“Growing up in a small town, music was a big connector—if you liked the same bands, you became friends fast,” Zef says. “After college, while living in Chicago, we each had our solo projects going on, but our shared love for music brought us together naturally, with no specific goal in mind. The band just happened.”
Listening to their new single “Run Away” it’s impossible not to conjure early Smashing Pumpkins, maybe some ‘90s Charlatans and Stone Roses mixed in. In Zef’s words: “Provider’s sound blends indie rock, ‘80s and ‘90s alternative, and dream pop, with atmospheric guitars and introspective lyrics, creating an immersive and emotionally resonant vibe.”
Ironically, they’re embracing the sound SPIN championed back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, when outliers became the cool kids.
Read on to get to know the guys behind Provider. They are: Cameron Cook (lead vocals/guitar); Brennen Morrell (lead guitar/synth), Joe Izzo (drums), Ryan Klaus (guitar/synth), and Zef, of course, on bass.
In three words or less, describe the process of making your new album.
Cam: Facetime studio sessions.
Brennan: Dexter’s laboratory.
Zef: Six-month grind.
Klaus: Focused.
What’s your favorite song on Automatic Thoughts?
Cam: “Automatic Thoughts”—I love how this song just rips harder and harder as it progresses.
Brennan: “I Found God.” I convinced Cam to let the song have an instrumental hook and am particularly proud of that riff. I was listening to a weird combination of the Smiths and midwest emo when we wrote it.
Izzo: I really like “Automatic Thoughts.” I like how me and Zef groove hard on that tune.
Zef: I’ve had like six favorites, but “Too Young to Die” holds a special place in my heart. It took us the length of the song to write (four minutes and 32 seconds). We tried it out live once at practice, and it was written by the time we stopped playing—that was a first for me. I think it shows how much we gel. Plus, I love the bass part.
Klaus: Either “Automatic Thoughts”—the guitar solo with the jazz drums part at 2:06 – 2:21 is so sick—or “Speedracer.” I think “Speedracer” will turn out to be a fan favorite.
What do you think makes you work well as a band?
Zef: We’re all self-taught with no formal musical background. There’s no ego—just a focus on what sounds best. Our chemistry and energy really fuel our music.
Cam: That gives us a unique perspective when it comes to writing and playing live. We have learned a lot from each other, which has ultimately shaped our sound.
Brennan: Friendship.
Izzo: We all care about the project and always are willing to listen to each other’s opinions.
Klaus: We’re all invested in the project together and just have really good synergy when playing together.
Who would you love to tour with?
Cam: Phoenix. Coolest dudes i’ve ever seen. We are not worthy.
Brennan: John Frusciante.
Izzo: Charli XCX. She’s an icon, and I’m in love with her music.
Klaus: Tame Impala would be my dream.
Zef: Peach Pit. I think having Provider as an opener would create a great vibe.
What makes you so distinctly from Chicago?
Cam: We’re from Geneva, a western suburb of Chicago that has a Metra line straight to the city. Growing up, we would take the train into the city for festivals and shows and were very much influenced by true Chicago bands such as Twin Peaks.
Brennan: Zef went through a phase of eating baked sausages with giardiniera daily. I think that’s pretty Chicago.
Zef: Haha, what Brenny said! My uncle works for Johnsonville, and my family gets together now and then to pickle our own giardiniera.
Izzo: Before every practice, Brennan picks up a deep dish ‘za and we get our hands super greasy before we pick up our instruments. We finish off the session with a Chicago dog, of course.
What do you love most about Chicago?
Zef: Chicago music scene: super inclusive and people put each other on.
Cam: The DIY music scene. Chicago is full of incredibly talented artists from all genres, and once you get into this scene you quickly become connected. It is oddly inclusive and easy to play venues. Everyone wants to hop on each other’s bills.
Brennan: Food, architecture, lake.
Izzo: Public transportation, mayor Daley, and Jerry Reinsdorf. Jokinggg…
Zef: Lake, food, bears.
What’s the wackiest thing that’s happened to you guys as a band so far?
Cam: We rented a cabin in Michigan during the writing process of our new album. Halfway through the day our water got cut off and we were stranded drinking warm beer until the next day. It’s not like we were going to drink much water anyways, but washing your hands with Hamm’s doesn’t really work.
If your band had to choose a mascot, who/what would it be?
Cam: The Pick Goblin. This little fucker does not take a day off. Whenever you lose a pick, just know it’s the Pick Goblin. He dances in shadows and waits for the right opportunity to steal all your guitar picks to feed his family.
Brennan: I snapped a photo of the Pick Goblin once.