The Popoff Brothers Premiere “Sons and Daughters of Summer”

“It’s gonna be wild, my brother and I have been in Lit since we were kids,” Jeremy Popoff explained about his new duo, the Popoff Brothers. Jeremy and his brother, Ajay, released an introductory country-tinged single, “Sons and Daughters of Summer,” today with an exclusive lyric video.  

This duo isn’t their first pass at playing country music. In 2018 they released These Are The Days under Lit. Jeremy and Ajay stand behind the record as some of their favorite work-to-date but acknowledge the branding issues this brought up.

 “We realize that it was maybe a little tough for people to swallow. The die-hard old school Lit fans, even though probably half of it listen to country music, it was still maybe it was hard for them to wrap their head around that,” Jeremy remarked about how the album was received. 

The Popoff Brothers is a product of that, a decision that allows the two brothers to explore genre while keeping the Lit brand intact. 

“If you stuck us in a corner and put a gun to our head, chances are what we’re going to play is more country than rock,” Jeremy described of their evolving sonic affinity. “But now that we’ve got the choice, we can do both.”

The brothers, who usually stayed close to home while others headed off for vacation, remember this formative time with their introductory track, “Sons and Daughters of Summer.”

“We would go to the beach and hang out with other kids listening to a ghetto blaster with a cassette tape that we recognized, or that was wearing a Van Halen T-shirt. You just became friends with people that seemed like they were cool. And next thing you know, it’s the first time you’re making out with somebody or the first time shotgunning a beer. It became formative years for us,” Jeremy recalled. “I mean, looking back, I would never let my kid do the shit that we used to do.”

“We were networking. We didn’t even know it,” Ajay jokingly interjected. 

Ajay shared the irony that this six-feet apart summer might look a lot like those almost vintage vignettes of their childhood displayed in the lyric video:  

“You’ve got to get the sprinkler out. Your Fourth of July might just be a sparkler show in the front yard. It’s going to be a closer-knit family experience, not the blown-out production we’ve become accustomed to. I’m trying to see the positive side of it. Families are being forced back into that old school summertime, like picnics and whatever even if it’s in the backyard.”

Jeremy and Ajay co-wrote this summer anthem with Kenton Bryant and Jonathan Singleton. Writing sessions such as this are what initially drew Jeremy in, opening his eyes to the world of country music. From there, he dragged his brother and the rest of the band for frequent visits to Music City. 

Jeremy credited Kenton with the song title, sending the group in the right direction. The title sets the scene. It conjures up thoughts and images when you hear it. Lyrically, it suggests that even among disparaging politics and global pandemics, that we still have much in common. 

 Their contribution to this track is a dynamic display of their talent as writers. The introductory “Sons and Daughters of Summer” is a stark contrast to their infamous “My Own Worst Enemy.” Penned in Ajay’s car over 20 years ago, the track ranks among the most broadcasted, covered, and karaoked songs of the last two decades. 

“We weren’t a part of any community other than our own,” Jeremy expressed about their breakout into the Orange County music scene in the lates 90s. After ten years of rejection, Lit entered the iconic rock era along with No Doubt, Offspring, Sugar Ray, Korn, and Rage Against The Machine. Unlike Nashville, there was no real community of artists at the time, and the rockstars rarely ran into each other.

 “You didn’t have a Red Door or a Tin Roof where you would go and run into 18 different dudes that you know that are all doing the same thing. When we all discovered Nashville, it was like walking by some house that was having a raging party, and they’re all like ‘hey, come on in!”

Jeremy has been spreading roots for almost 15 years in Nashville. He is anxiously awaiting his brother’s impending arrival and a flattened virus curve to take this show on the road. In the meantime, they are plotting the release of a few more recorded songs and sketching out what this duo will look like, live. The tour veterans are looking forward to a no-frills set, knowing too-well the monster that is a rock show production.

“At the end of the day, it’s going to be Ajay’s voice, and I’m going to be wearing a guitar way too low and probably too loud. But I look forward to trying to create a live experience that’s just totally different,” shared Jeremy.

Watch the exclusive lyric video for “Sons and Daughters of Summer.” Stream the latest from the Popoff Brothers and follow these resident rockstars to hear more from their new duo, as well as Lit later this year.