After years of helping to power some of Memphis’s most beloved rock outfits (The Sheiks, Ex-Cult, Model Zero), Frank McLallen is finally putting his own name on the marquee. His debut solo album, Extra Eyes, finds the seasoned guitarist and songwriter turning inward, channeling a period of loss, healing, and rediscovery into a lush, psych-tinged collection that’s as vulnerable as it is expansive. With the record set to release on Red Curtain Records and a hometown celebration at Bar DKDC on September 6, McLallen is ready to share his most personal music yet.
With such a rich history of work and involvement in numerous bands, I’d imagine many of our readers are familiar with your music even if they don’t know your name. Can you give us a brief overview of your musical journey so far?
Well, I started playing in “bands” in high school, mainly at houses in East Memphis, the occasional clubs that let kids drink. The summer before my senior year, my friends and I were playing in juke joints in North Mississippi backing up the Kimbroughs and Burnsides. That was wild. I played in college party bands while doing weird stuff on the side. The Sheiks formed out of that. We played a ton around Memphis and toured a bit, and recorded an album and some 7”s. I started backing Jack Oblivian, and that took us around the world a few times. I joined Ex-Cult around 2014. That band became an almost full-time job with tons of touring, recording, all that stuff. That went on until 2019, when we formed Model Zero and released an album and toured. When the pandemic happened , it burned me out in several ways. I laid low and tried to get my life back together. During that time, I played around Memphis in the Tennessee Screamers and here I am now putting out an album with my own name on it.
Clearly, you’ve collaborated with countless musicians across a wide range of styles over the years. How did creating a solo album compare to your usual collaborative process?
When you are in a band, there is a feeling of all for one and one for all. I would write or contribute to songs, but there was always someone else to bounce ideas off of or even have to get approval that it was a good idea. There was always a safety net. I feel like once I declared this was a solo project, I was suddenly this trapeze artist that had the nets cut below. I had to have the final say.
Let’s dive into the album itself. From the singles, it feels like a very personal project with an airy, psych-pop vibe. How would you describe the album in terms of both its sound and its themes?
The sound is more laid back than previous projects, I’d say. Less aggressive. These songs were written at home during a period of regrowth after being shattered from years of playing in bands and living the “rock and roll lifestyle”. My dad passed away during this time, I cut off the abuse of substances that were really bringing me down, and learned to love myself and others again. Playing and writing on my acoustic guitar became therapy and these songs just spilled out. I didn’t write any of them with a style or genre in mind. The themes and vibe stem from that period.
It’s clear that you have a voracious musical appetite that encompasses a ton of musical styles. What were some of your inspirations when making Extra Eyes?
I wanted to make a folk record at first, just a take on roots music, but then when I started getting into the studio I wanted to play with all of the colors. “Taking it Back to the Morning” was influenced by Brazilian Topicalia, like Os Mutantes. I was getting super deep into another round of listening to anything Brian Wilson. I really wanted to layer vocals and harmony. He passed away when the album was finished being mixed. New Wave textures have always influenced me–synths, electric organs and such. There wasn’t much of a harder rock or punk influence that had been on previous projects. I also was feeling a mellow home recording vibe of Ted Lucas, White Fence, JJ Cale, R Stevie Moore, etc.
Did you collaborate with other musicians or producers for this album? How did those collaborations shape the record?
The name and concept for the record is Extra Eyes, and those are the people that have been watching over me, or had my back over the years. My extra set of eyes, guardian angels, if you will. I started recording songs at Graham Winchester’s house in late 2023 and those became the initial seeds of this record. In 2024, I started recording some songs at The Bunker studio with Andrew McCalla. A good chunk of tracking was done over there. Lots of freedom. I finished off the project at Memphis Magnetic, tracking, mixing and mastering with Scott McEwen of Red Curtain Records, who is putting out this album. Lots of friends, or extra eyes, appear on Extra Eyes: Daniel Brown, Keith Cooper, Sara Moseley, Jonathan Ciaramataro, and Jon Harrison, to name a few.
You’ll be celebrating the album’s release with a live show at Bar DKDC on September 6th. Give us a little preview of what fans can expect at that show and what it feels like to be able to perform these new songs live for the first time.
This will be the first time playing these songs with a full band. We’ve been rehearsing over the summer for this and I couldn’t be more stoked! We’ll have the record for sale, with some other goodies. Runi Salem, a project of Kacee Russell, will be opening up the show. I’m a big fan of her songwriting, voice, and what she’s got going on creatively. My band will play and then closing out the night will be Recent Future, a great new electronic duo who also happen to be labelmates with me on Red Curtain. They are going to be bringing the late night dance vibes. Hope to see some friendly faces!
Extra Eyes is available for order now at Red Curtain Records or at local record stores.
