Billy Peake has spent decades building a respected career in music before stepping away from the industry to focus on family life and financial stability. Now, the Columbus, Ohio songwriter returns with Manic Waves, his debut solo album and a record shaped entirely on his own terms.
Best known for his work with Columbus bands Miranda Sound and Bicentennial Bear, Peake earned critical recognition and festival appearances including Lollapalooza before leaving music behind for several years. In 2019, he began revisiting a collection of attic demos, marking the first time he had written material completely on his own. During the pandemic, those songs evolved into Manic Waves, a 12-track album blending indie rock, power pop, new wave, and college rock influences.
The album takes aim at modern cultural and political tensions, including online outrage culture, evangelical hypocrisy, and growing social division, while balancing those themes with humor and personal reflection. Alongside politically charged material, Peake includes songs about family life, gratitude, and even an account of accidentally getting too high on gummies. That contrast gives the record a tone that is sharp without becoming overly heavy.
Sonically, Manic Waves combines fuzzed-out guitars, melodic hooks, and ’80s-inspired synth textures, drawing influence from artists associated with college radio eras while remaining firmly contemporary. The project also features notable collaborators, including mixer Mike Montgomery, known for work with The Breeders, Superchunk, and Protomartyr, mastering engineer Sarah Register, whose credits include David Bowie and Depeche Mode, and drummers Stephen Bidwell of Black Pumas and Matt Johnson, who has worked with St. Vincent and Jeff Buckley.
At its core, Manic Waves reflects the tension between frustration and gratitude. Peake writes about a fractured cultural landscape while acknowledging the stability and love in his own life. Rather than resolving those contradictions, the album leans into them, resulting in a record that feels both personal and socially aware.
