Ever have a crazy dream and wake up trying to remember it all, but it slips away like the morning mist?

Singer-songwriter Alex Stanilla had one of those, but he managed to recall enough of his weird dream to create a song about it โ€” his latest release, โ€œSavior,โ€ which comes out today.

Suitably, considering its genesis, itโ€™s a trippy, retro-pop flavored track; it was recorded at the Kaleidoscope studio in Lancaster.

โ€œItโ€™s definitely something very โ€˜90s-ish,โ€ Stanilla said in a phone interview. โ€œI really like (the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith), so I was kind of trying to be like (him), but just with more stadium-esque vocals.โ€

He described the dream that inspired the lyrics.

โ€œThese two characters (a man and a woman) who didnโ€™t know each other are on a family vacation,โ€ he explained. โ€œThey run into each other at a hotel โ€“ a Quality 8 or something โ€“ and somehow they both ate something that had some sort of psychedelic effect.

โ€œSo theyโ€™re both tripping on something (and) they wander away from their family. They find themselves in this church having all these psychedelic, religious (experiences),โ€ he added.

Stanilla just releases singles โ€“ the most recent one was โ€œOvertimeโ€ back in June โ€“ and has no plans for a full-fledged album as yet. He started a brief tour earlier this month.

โ€œThe next (song) will be out in January โ€“  Iโ€™m going to try and do some shows around that,โ€ he said. โ€œAnd Iโ€™m looking to do another song in April with a little bit longer tour around it.โ€

Stanilla, 31, was born in Lebanon, graduated from Cedar Crest, went to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, then moved to Seattle, where he lived for two years.

Singer-songwriter Alex Stanilla has lived all across the country, including in Philadelphia where he attended UArts. Stanilla’s latest single was released on Wednesday, Oct. 18. (Provided photo by Fox Murray)

โ€œI had a friend who was moving out there and asked if I wanted to go,โ€ he said. โ€œAt first I was just planning to drive with him, and then we got into town and ended up signing a three-month lease. And then I got a job and ended up staying longer than I initially thought. It just kept turning into more than I thought it was going to.โ€

Then of course he came back to Lebanon โ€“ โ€œIt’s hard getting away from here,โ€ as he said. He especially enjoys โ€œthe peacefulnessโ€ of the area. He works at Revive Cafe and Craft in Quentin and at Funck’s in Palmyra and also helps with a friendโ€™s power-washing business.

โ€œI always pictured myself being somewhere else, but I always come back to Lebanon,โ€ he said. โ€œItโ€™s a nice place; itโ€™s hard to stay away for very long. At one point, I did enjoy living in cities, but now I prefer being out in the country.โ€

Stanilla started his musical journey at age 5.

โ€œI started taking violin lessons with Connie Stambaugh (of Suzuki Strings of Lebanon),โ€ he said. โ€œAnd then it just turned into more and more, playing different instruments. By 15, I started writing and recording my own songs and Iโ€™ve been doing that ever since.โ€

He now sings and plays guitar and piano. He also runs his own label, Some Bite Records, which releases compilation albums by local artists.

โ€œWe put out four compilations a year, usually inspired by a theme,โ€ he explained. โ€œThe one that came out in August was โ€˜Summer Songs,โ€™ and then we’ll do a Halloween one (due out around the week of the holiday) and a Yule one. All proceeds from the albums go to local animal shelters and veterinarian clinics.โ€  

โ€œI like to try and put a song thatโ€™s unreleased or an alternative version of a song thatโ€™s been released, like B-sides or demos (on the compilations),โ€ he said of the content. 

โ€œI really encourage people to send songs that might not get released otherwise โ€“ maybe itโ€™s an older song they had lying around. (Iโ€™m encouraging) local artists (to do) covers of each other for the Halloween one,โ€ he added.

The remainder of Stanillaโ€™s upcoming tour dates are in the South.

โ€œI had a friend in South Carolina (and) weโ€™ve just been talking over the years about you gotta play a show here sometime,โ€ he said. โ€œThen I just tried to fill in the rest of the way. My aunt lives in Williamsburg, Virginia, so Iโ€™m going to try and see her. Iโ€™ve never been to the Carolinas before, but Iโ€™ve always wanted to go.

โ€œIโ€™m always looking to branch out and lay down roots in places,โ€ he added.

To hear the Some Bite compilation albums, visit somebiterecords.bandcamp.com

Here are the upcoming dates of Alex Stanillaโ€™s tour:

  • Oct. 18: Burger Bar in Asheville, North Carolina
  • Oct. 19: Gather GVL in Greenville, South Carolina
  • Oct. 20: The Shop in Dunbar, West Virginia
  • Oct. 21: The Moonlight House in Woodbridge, Virginia

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