Nowhere Squares exploring their catharsis everywhere

The way the band Nowhere Squares got started hardly sounds like a start at all.

“It was at an office Christmas party. The band that was hired to do cover songs was taking a break. Justin [Cordes] and I just wandered up and started messing around on the instruments. The rest is history,” lead singer Paul Wilm said about the band’s conception. 

Other than Wilm, the band consists of Justin Cordes (guitar and vocals), Andy Sizemore (bass and vocals), Jennifer Freehling (keyboard) and the newest addition, Mikey Williams (drums). 

Roughly 20 years later, after a few lineup changes and 12 albums to date, Nowhere Squares is still rocking in their gritty, nerd-punk way locals have come to know and love. 

“Our music and lyrics speak to the geek in everyone, saying it’s OK not to be cool and hip 24 hours a day,” Wilm said. “Who cares if you don’t look your best or have odd little quirks that are exposed from time to time for all the world to see? Be proud of them! Show them off!” 

“The Cavemen We Become,” their latest album released on Step Pepper Records, incorporates the same high-energy sound, but with a tighter and brighter feel. 

“With the eventual personnel changes, and the passage of time, our sound eventually strayed away from our garage-y roots and evolved into more of a raucous half-punk, half-new wave monster,” Wilm said. “Keyboards were added, and our songs definitely became more melodic, more spastic and harder to define.” 

Aside from a slightly different sound, “The Cavemen We Become” is also the closest Nowhere Squares has come to a conceptual album. Reflecting the times, the band’s newest album takes a political turn. 

“Musically, we found ourselves breaking into new territory, whilst lyrically the various characters and protagonists of each song struggle with issues of internet privacy, self-image, smartphone culture … the list goes on,” Wilm said. 

At the end of the day, Nowhere Squares hopes the album helps listeners cope with current political and societal problems. 

“We view music as a form of therapy and catharsis. Our music helps us stay sane,” Wilm said. “‘The Cavemen We Become’ will hopefully be a cathartic experience for those listening and keep them dancing at the same time.”

When he isn’t playing with Nowhere Squares, Wilm can be found expressing himself in a different, yet just as creative, way on the buildings of Birmingham. Murals have become something Wilm is quite familiar with and his work can be seen anywhere from the bathroom at Seasick Records to the sprawling wall of University Place Apartments. 

“Like music, painting is a very cathartic experience for me,” Wilm said. “When I decide on what images I’m going to paint, I realize that I can make others smile or laugh. It’s the same with writing lyrics.”

Wilm’s work has not gone unnoticed. Along with the mural at University Place, Wilm has two window installations at the Pizitz Food Hall and was asked to paint on the side of Crestwood Tavern in the Shoppes of Crestwood. 

“Painting these two murals has really opened up a sort of ‘mural door’ for me this year. Not only am I doing a few more murals for University Place, but I’ll be also painting murals for the Birmingham Recycling Center and the nightclub Saturn,” Wilm said. 

Though his work is more visible around town, Wilm is not the only one making a mark of his own. Cordes owns an iron design business called Toro-Cordes Iron Arts, and Freehling is a DJ by the name of DJ Jezebel. 

Nowhere Squares has taken a brief hiatus from playing shows due to the death of their original drummer and close friend, Spencer Shoults, who died following a battle with cancer in July. Their most recent album is the last he played on and, in a way, a last tribute to him. The band said it’s readjusting and plans to be back soon. 

Updates and upcoming shows can be found on their website, nowheresquares.com, and their Facebook and Vimeo of the same name. Wilm’s work and contact info are on his website, paulcordeswilm.com. 

“The Cavemen We Become” is available in town at Seasick Records, Renaissance Records and Charlemagne Records. It can also be purchased on their Bandcamp page, nowheresquares.bandcamp.com.