Mo Lowda & the Humble Reflect on Grit, Melody, and the Meaning of "Tailing the Ghost"

photo credit: BostonCentral

Mo Lowda & the Humble just closed out their Green Stage set with edge and melody - and made time to chat with me backstage. We talked about their upcoming album Tailing the Ghost, the process of recording on the road, and how it feels when a song takes on a life of its own.

*Interview and photos by Stacey Sao, BostonCentral*
Published: May 27, 2025

The forecast called for chaos - and it definitely delivered. Wind, cold, and steady drizzle became the unofficial vibe of the weekend. But Mo Lowda met the moment with grit and groove, reminding us that great music doesn’t wait for blue skies.

BostonCentral: I'm here with Mo Lowda & the Humble. I just saw your set on the Green Stage—such a strong showing. How are you all feeling now that you’ve come off stage?

Mo Lowda & the Humble: It was fun! Honestly, it’s a little intimidating when you get back there and realize how big the whole setup is. The rotating stage was wild—two bands are set up on either side, and they just spin it around. It's a total throw-and-go. But we all trust each other musically, and that makes it a blast.

photo credit: Alive Coverage | Boston Calling

BostonCentral: How did the band originally form? You all went to school in Philly, right?

Mo Lowda & the Humble: Yeah, Shane and I met in high school and later went to Temple with our old bass player. That's when we named the band.  We started playing shows around then - New York, Boston. It just grew naturally. There wasn’t a moment of, “Should we keep doing this?” It just never stopped.  

photo credit: BostonCentral

Jeff joined after Shane saw his duo The Bones at a house show. He jumped in when our old bassist left, and it clicked. Kirby was originally our photo/video guy. Then when we decided to add a fourth member, it was an easy choice.

BostonCentral: Love that. Have you crossed paths with Snacktime before? Another great Philly band.

Mo Lowda & the Humble: We have! Kirby’s photographed them a lot. Philly's scene runs deep.  

photo credit: BostonCentral [Mo Lowda & Humble Meets Snacktime - Philly Bands Unite]

BostonCentral: Let’s talk about the new album, Tailing the Ghost, dropping June 20th. What were you chasing with this one?

Mo Lowda & the Humble: The title came midway through recording. Everyone's got ghosts—those intangible things you’re always chasing but never quite catch. That idea started shaping the whole record. It’s definitely our most unique to date. We never try to repeat a formula. We recorded while touring—rented cabins all over the country. Desert, mountains, lakes—being out of our Philly comfort zone really pushed us creatively.

“We’ve learned to trust the songs. Even when we write or record on the road, we know the energy will shape itself once we get on stage with it.”

BostonCentral: There’s such a great push-pull between grit and melody in your sound. What usually comes first for you—the lyrics or the groove?

Mo Lowda & the Humble: Groove. Always the groove. We jam, we mumble over a track, and then eventually lyrics fall into place. Lyrics are often the final layer.

photo credit: Alive Coverage | Boston Calling

BostonCentral: So when a song starts to feel special, do you know it right away?

Mo Lowda & the Humble: Sometimes. But often it’s like sculpting a block of ice. You chip away and start seeing something form. One song on this record started with Jordan playing a riff—and we all slowly gathered around him in this cabin like, “Wait, what is this?” It became the opening track. That magic is what keeps you chasing it.

BostonCentral: Do songs ever evolve in meaning after you release them—or hit fans in ways you didn’t expect?

Mo Lowda & the Humble: Totally. That’s one of the most beautiful things about music. It might mean one thing to us when we write it, but listeners bring their own experiences. Sometimes even within the band, we interpret the same song differently once lyrics come in. It becomes everyone’s, not just ours.

“Someone might tell us they thought a song was about something completely different, and that’s great. It means it resonated. Once a song is out there, it really doesn’t belong to us anymore. It’s theirs.”

BostonCentral: So you try not to over-explain lyrics?  Keep them open to interpretation?

Mo Lowda & the Humble: Yeah - we’ll answer in a one-on-one convo, but on a bigger platform we hold back a bit. It’s more fun that way.

Someone might tell us they thought a song was about something completely different, and that’s great. It means it resonated.

Once a song is out there, it really doesn’t belong to us anymore. It’s theirs.  And that's kind of what creating music is all about. 

🎤 That’s a wrap on this one. Thanks, Mo Lowda!

Interview by BostonCentral at Boston Calling 2025. Stay tuned for more artist features and full coverage from the festival.
~~
Stacey Sao has been the Managing Director of the family-friendly events and activities website, BostonCentral for well over 20 years.  She continues to enjoy discovering and exploring new places to visit, performances and new music in the Greater Boston area.