"It was very reverb-y and the vocals were low," Howard said of the band's original direction. "The big complaint from people was that you can't hear the vocals at all. I don't know if it's a natural progression, but we started listening to more Beach Boys."
Jon Downs (guitar/vocals) said the change of dynamic came when the band learned to be comfortable in its own skin.
"Both of the records, when you make them by yourself there's kind of a shy element," he said. "There's no one in there telling you to do different things. As you progress, you get more confident in your abilities. I think that accounts for a big difference in the two records."
Downs said the new approach to mixing has allowed the band's lively melodies to reach new audiences, his parents included.
"The first record appealed to certain types of people," he said. "The second record broadened our audience a lot. My parents didn't listen to the first one at all, and they like the second one. It's a lot more melodic; it's easier on the ears."
Howard added that a change of venue led to a higher sonic quality on Waiting For the Time to Be Right, as the band fashioned a personal recording studio after its debut.
"In between recording the first one and the second one we built our own studio," Howard said. "The first one was recorded in a bedroom. We just had wires running all through the house."
Thanks to glowing reviews from online critics at Pitchfork Media and Popmatters, as well as an appearance at the annual indie-rock battle royale South by Southwest (SXSW), the band has gained enough national popularity to expand its horizons outside New England. In addition to making its first stop in State College, the band recently made its debuts in Pittsburgh, Chicago and Detroit.
The band's SXSW appearance was a fulfilling one, both for the publicity and the experience, Howard said.
"The show was good, 'cause we played and we got to go to all the shows for free, too. We were really excited to go down there and get to play for people who had never heard us before," he said, adding that the appearance led to the band's record deal with Florida-based label Clairecords.
But even with the backing of a record label for Waiting For the Time to Be Right, the band kept control over the creative process and self-produced the album, Downs said.
"Every record we make, we learn a little bit more," he said. "We're gonna make our own record, because we want it to be good. You just dive in and hope for the best."
Van Fossan said he has been a fan of the band since it first started making music.
"I've been listening to that band at least three or four years," he said. "They never toured or anything, so I wasn't even sure what was going on. And then they put out the second record, which people went completely ape for. It still sounds like Ride but now it sounds more like the Beach Boys."
Van Fossan saw the band's live show exceed its expectations last week when The Bullet Parade played a show with The Brother Kite, he said.
"I can happily report that they won't disappoint," he said. "We played with them Friday in Pittsburgh. They wore all white, so the thing that I can't help but wonder is if they wear the same clothes every night."
Beyond the band's stark appearance onstage, it also uses electronic elements to add to live instruments, Van Fossan said.
"Having just saw them, the music is just as good or better live," he said. "For a couple songs, we were like, 'Who the hell's doing what?' "
