We had a chat with US alternative band Maverick Smith to find out a bit more about their journey, distinctive sound, and brand new album We Make Fire, They Make Smoke
With the release of We Make Fire, They Make Smoke, their second full length album in under 12 months, Maverick Smith continue to establish themselves as a prolific and exciting rising band who’s cross-generational appeal and multifaceted sound has seen them winning over a plethora of admirers in recent times.
The new collection of tracks embodies everything that makes the outfit feel unique and special, traversing through a wide variety of genres and moods in a way that manages to feel both nostalgic and fiercely modern stylistically, with highlights such as the slow burning opener ‘Sinking Feeling’ and the gritty closer ‘So What Who Cares’ showcasing the sheer range and scope of the project and their creative allure. We love this new release, and had a chat with songwriter, producer and guitarist Sean Boynes to find out a bit more about the release as well as Maverick Smith and their story.
Who TF are Maverick Smith?
We’re a bunch of musical misfits from different scenes and decades, bending genres because none of us ever fit neatly into one. Punk shows, string quartets, southern bars, noise pop—we’ve all been through it. Maverick Smith is what happens when you throw five people in a room with no rules and too many influences.
How long have you been making music?
Some of us have been doing this since we were kids—learning guitar on scratched-up CDs and cheap pawn shop amps. But as Maverick Smith, we really came to life in the past year, when we decided to throw out the rulebook and make the kind of album we’d want to hear.
Why do you make music?
Maybe the better question is why wouldn’t we make music. We get to do the one job where your whole purpose is to make people feel something. That’s a gift—and we don’t take it lightly. Music says the stuff we can’t always say out loud. It can punch, soothe, or completely wreck you in the best way. And if we can turn that into a gig? That’s the kind of noise worth making.
What are your biggest influences?
We come from all walks of life—different towns, different eras, different scenes. Some of us grew up on The Ramones and Zappa, others were raised on Tom Petty, The Lumineers, and underground soul like Chappelle Roane. It’s not clean or curated, but that’s what makes it work. We’re not chasing one sound—we’re making the kind of music you’d find on a jukebox that’s been passed around a hundred hands. Bent, weird, beautiful, and still playing.
What would you say has been your best moment so far?
Building these songs from scratch in the studio—starting with rough voice memos or half-sung phone recordings—and watching them evolve into full, finished tracks was something else. You hear a song go from a messy idea at 12 a.m. to this fully formed, living thing. That process—watching it grow, mature, and surprise you along the way—that’s the real magic.
How would you describe your sound to somebody unfamiliar with it?
Maverick Smith is an alt-rock experience without boundaries—punk urgency meets dreamy orchestration, southern grit collides with indie-pop hooks. One moment you’re stewing in raw garage riffs, the next you’re floating on lush strings or cinematic organ tones. It’s restless, genre-defying rock that never feels like a patchwork—it feels like one living, breathing thing.
What’s your dream “I’ve made it” moment?
A sold-out show in a city we’ve never been to where the whole crowd sings our lyrics louder than we do. That’s the moment where we’d know it mattered. Bonus points if it’s somewhere wild—like a rooftop gig in São Paulo or a rustbelt festival under smokestacks.
We love your new album We Make Fire, They Make Smoke, what more can you tell us about it?
Thank you! This one’s a little louder, a little riskier. It’s the first time our lead songwriter, Sean, co-wrote with Paige Bosic, and that opened up a whole new dynamic. It’s more raw, more honest—and we didn’t clean it up too much. If it cracked or buzzed, we left it in. The imperfections are the point.
What else do you have planned for the near future?
We’ve got a summer residency going, some acoustic sessions dropping soon, and we’re already halfway through writing the next record. We’re also trying to hit more stages, both local and international—if you’ve got a DIY space, call us.
And finally, who is your biggest fan right now?
Our families, obviously—they’ve heard these songs since they were rough voice memos and still show up like it’s the first time. And then there’s half of Brazil, who somehow found us early and never stopped streaming. Hopefully, though, it’s somebody reading this right now who decides to hit play and stick around.
