Pop-rockers from Orlando Savannah are releasing the EP Forma — the last installment of their 3-part debut Spectrum — tomorrow, August 11. (The earlier installments of the full-length — Vita and Tempus — were released in January and June, respectively; Spectrum will come out in its entirety in the fall.) To celebrate, Myspace is streaming Forma in full today. Guitarist Warren Major explains that the EP "hits many topics, but mainly that of honesty. So many times I haven't had the guts to say what I wanted, but these songs gave me that chance."

Made up of James Major (vocals, piano), Warren Major (guitar), Colin Ward (guitar), Virgil May (drums), and Bradford Buckley (bass), Savannah reminds us of a sweeter Augustana, or a more country version of the Fray. Whatever it is, their songs are laden with ear-wormy hooks, on-point vocals and heartfelt emotions. The band talks to Myspace about their musical upbringing, what Forma means and why they released their album in three parts.

Hometowns: Richmond, Virginia; Boyerstown, Pennsylvania, and central Florida.

Current residence: Orlando, Florida and Ormand Beach.

How did you all meet?

Colin: Me, James, Warren, and Virgil all met when we moved to Orlando to go to college at Full Sail University. Virgil and I moved from Richmond, Virginia, together, while James and Warren moved from Boyerstown together. I was in the same recording arts class as the guys, which is where we met, and Virgil and I lived together, so we all started hanging out and playing music together. From there, the band was formed!

Brad: I knew Colin from the Orlando music scene and through mutual friend's. At that time I was in another band and when that fizzled out and I heard they needed a bass player we got to talking and here we are!

Why are you called Savannah?

James: I was actually doing a tour and drove through there.  It stuck. I said "Savannah" out loud and loved it. I called Colin right after, and we all agreed immediately.

How do you describe your music to someone who's never heard it before?

Colin: Someone in an interview recently said we were alternative rock with a splash of pop and twang. I thought that was a pretty good description. I always say piano-driven alternative rock. But who really knows. I’ll let the music speak for itself!

Did you all grow up in musical households? Do you remember the moments that had a huge impact on you musically as kids?

Virgil: My dad is a bass player. I used to watch him play in a group with other doctors called the Docs of Rock. Pretty hilarious, now that I think about it. My dad  played a lot of Beach Boys, Beatles, Buddy Holly. (Buddy Holly was easily my favorite.) He was a killer steering wheel drummer.  I just remember it always sounding awesome and trying to match his rhythms. My parents gave me my first set in middle school — a Pearl Forum Series — and we had a basement so I was able to play .

James: Absolutely. I spent the majority of my nights listening to my father play piano. I would fall asleep underneath as he played classic over classic. Some of my happiest moments actually.

Warren: I discovered Angus Young when I was 12. My life was skateboarding and ACDC for the longest time. I studied his his playing and practiced the pentatonic scales religiously.

Colin: My dad always said “I don’t play any instruments, but I can play my stereo pretty damn loud!” (Laughs,) He’s a huge music fan, and I know that’s where I got my influences from. Without his passion for music, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

Brad: My oldest sister and a couple of cousins were always musical. And my dad would bombard me with old ELO tapes when we were driving places as a kid. (Still a huge fan.) I guess I discovered a love for performing at my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary celebration when I was 10. The whole family was gathered at some beachside bar and grill and I was enthralled watching this reggae steel drummer play. He invited me up try and play and it ended up with my whole family outside dancing while I was jamming (quite terribly) with some dude I didn't even know. I knew right then that I always wanted to be doing that somehow.

Who are your biggest musical influences?

James: Of course all ‘90s music. I remember sitting in the backseat of our Caprice as a kid listening to Tonic, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Alanis Morissette, 10,000 Maniacs and stuff like that.

Virgil: The Beach Boys and Buddy Holly were my favorite artists growing up. The first cassette I ever bought was Michael Jackson's "Off The Wall" which was my favorite album as a kid. I remember getting it before a 12-hour road trip to FL and listening to it nonstop. I also loved Sting, Seal, Boys II Men (laughs). I eventually got into classic rock. Had a ska phase. That turned into a hardcore phase. Now I appreciate just about everything especially metal.

Warren: ACDC. Augustana. Tom Petty. Coldplay.

Colin: As a kid, I listened to a lot of stuff from Rush, to Blink 182, to The Goo Goo Dolls, and a whole lot of other stuff I’ll never admit to.

Why is your upcoming album called Spectrum? What does it mean? 

Colin: The album is split into three parts. The idea was that they all make up something with a meaning behind each. First we came up with the idea of the three shapes, looked up what they signified and then matched words with them. Vita - Latin for life, Tempus - Latin for time, and Forma - from the Latin phrase “For the sake of form”, which we loosely base on the structure of the band, our music, and our lives.  We started talking about the album, and how we’ve put so much into, and got deep into conversations about life. We wanted the album to explore the spectrum of life, so Spectrum stuck, made sense to us, and just felt right to go along with the names of the three releases.

Why did you decide to release it in three sets? What were the pros and cons of that decision?

Colin: I actually got the idea when I was following The 1975 when they were releasing all those EPs. I read this article that was talking about the death of albums and the rise of singles. We were dying to record a full-length album but definitely wanted to release it in a way that would snowball and gather attention, highlight more than just one single from the album.

So we split it up in hopes that we could do just that. The biggest con in the idea was convincing the rest of the guys that it was a good idea, but after some chitchat, everyone was on board! The pros have been that we’ve been able to premiere two songs off each release, totaling six “single” premieres on different blogs and e-zines, and multiple music videos, with more on the way.

What do you do for fun?

Virgil: I'm a loser and play video games way too much. I love going out on the water. Like to run. I really enjoy eating a whole pizza.

Warren: I love writing music and until and few months ago riding my Harley. I lost a friend and decided it was time to sell my bike forever.  Miss it incredibly.

Colin: Photography and videography, and a hilarious group chat with the guys making fun of each other.

James:I like recording music of all things. Most people think it's awesome till they actually have to sit and do it. But I enjoy watching songs come to life. It's like painting a picture. So rewarding as well.

What's the craziest thing that’s happened to you as a band?

Colin: We’ve had some of the craziest nights at our hometown shows here in Orlando. One time we played a festival called FMF, and all the guys ended up calling it an early night and heading home, and I wanted to stay and watch more bands and have a few drinks. I ended up meeting these guys, who would end up becoming friends, in an incredible band called Goodnight Neverland, and drinking way to much. I ended up waking up at 6 a.m. in my driver seat where I parked before the show the night before, with no recollection of how I got there. Another time we played a show with some friends of ours who at the time were ‘He Is We’, now formed the band ‘machineheart’ and we somehow ended up in a huge hip hop club here in Orlando dancing in the middle of a huge circle. That was wild.

Does living in Orlando help you be more creative musically?

Warren: Actually yes. There is so much undiscovered talent here in fl. It keeps you playing and improving your craft. Wish Florida had more success. It deserves it.