Local music profile: Pdubba-U | Music | Salt Lake City Weekly

Local music profile: Pdubba-U 

Releasing emotional songs on Past Lives means moving on to a different vibe

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Pdubba-U - COURTESY PHOTO
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  • Pdubba-U

For a band, releasing an album is like releasing a snapshot of their lives at a particular moment in time, whether it was intended or not. So much creative energy gets poured into an album and the inspiration comes from what's going around a person, which tends to seep into the music. That's what happened in 2024 for local rock band Pdubba-U. Their debut album Past Lives is an emotional snapshot of the last several years, and the duo is glad they can share it with the world but are also excited to get started on something new.

The origin of the name Pdubba-U (pronounced like saying the letters PW) is simple, yet creative. The "P" is a stand-in for guitarist Preston Fairchild's first name, while the "W" is for vocalist Wesley Knight. It's creative, catchy, and there's no way you'll find another band with that name when you type them into a social media site or search engine.

Knight and Fairchild had been involved in other music projects before, but Pdubba-U has been their focus since about 2023. Their debut album Past Lives features songs that are between five and six years old and having them out at last is cathartic for the duo. "It's been one hell of a rollercoaster," Knight said. "It was years in the making to actually be brought to the table."

A lot of the music was re-recorded, and a lot of time was spent trying to recapture the initial emotion of it, according to Fairchild. "I recorded most of those [songs] in my truck," Knight said. "I didn't have the money, but it was also difficult for me to go do anything with my life. I was going through a lot."

While Pdubba-U is glad that the album is out for listeners to enjoy, it's a relief that it's finished. "It's a big weight off my shoulders for me. It was nice to have it out into the public, just to have friends and family and anybody else to listen to it," Fairchild said. "Because it was a very emotional album, and there was a lot that happened in the past while the album was being made. A lot of life changes, people passing, people leaving, and a lot of stuff."

Although Past Lives is emotionally charged for Pdubba-U, it's still a delight to listen to. The album opens to fanfare, with Knight's animated, theatrical voice on "Nightmare on Adams" before fading into the first track "Woah Girl," one of the best songs on the album.

"Woah Girl" has soaring vocals from Knight right off the bat, followed by Fairchild's ripping guitar skills. Pdubba-U's sound will sweep you off your feet with its soaring, in-your-face sound. It's melodic and intricate, and will keep you guessing. This album is truly a treat for those who love rock/emo sounds complete with intensely complex musical ability.

The passion is evident throughout the album as it continues with "Best Man" and "Miki Endo," and even as things slow down and scale back with songs like "Blue Ocean" and "Wireless," which are stripped back and acoustic. Whether you're rocking out to their electrifying rock tracks, or sitting back with their lo-fi tunes, you're going to have a great time.

That being said, Pdubba-U is looking forward to a new era for the band, and that means new music and live shows.

"I'm really excited for this new music. It's stuff that I genuinely feel the most excited about, I think I've ever felt for music," Knight said.

"All the sad stuff's behind us and it's a new chapter, and time to go forward," Fairchild added.

Past Lives came from a place of strong emotion, where their new music is coming from a place of joy and a better outlook on life. According to Fairchild, the new material comes from "a lot of change and self-love." Knight agrees. "I feel like Past Lives for me was almost like a therapy session. I had all this stuff I wanted to get out and express, and then once I did it, it was just kind of done," he said.

Knight and Fairchild have recruited drummer Brad Donohoo for live shows, and have fun plans for 2025. "We have a lot of music we could make. Right now, for me, the difficult part is choosing which ones we want to do," Knight related.

For now, listeners can anticipate a new single from Pdubba-U called "Hidden Valley," which will be out soon, and that will be the first new track to propel the band into this new era of joy and fun. "When I first started making music, it was such a pursuit of, 'I have this big message to share,' and it became almost like a religion to me. It was serious," Knight said. But nowadays, it's more laid-back. "I still love the philosophical message with the music that I write, but it's less about being so strict and so serious and sad all the time, to enjoying more."

Past Lives is streaming everywhere, and if you're so inclined, there are instrumental versions of the songs as well, if you want to take a deep dive into the gritty yet intricate sound that Fairchild puts his heart and soul into.

"I strive on really capturing the emotion with the instrumentals," he said.

Keep an eye out for new tunes from Pdubba-U; you definitely don't want to miss out on what they have in store.

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Emilee Atkinson

Emilee Atkinson

Bio:
Ogden native Emilee Atkinson has spent her life obsessing over music and enjoying writing. Eventually, she decided to combine the two. She’s the current music editor of City Weekly.

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