It’s been five long years since Austin based Heartless Bastards released their last album Restless Ones, and to say a lot has happened in the World since then would be an understatement. If you’ve recently emerged from living underground the past few years, one listen to Heartless Bastards new single Revolution, and you’ll be caught up to speed on today’s vibe. Heading up Heartless Bastards, Erika Wennerstrom’s bluesy tell it how it is voice will
calmly draw you in offering words that host those 3:00am worries that keep you awake. Before you know it, Wennerstrom is proudly exclaiming, “the Revolution is in your mind!” while being reinforced by jovial guitars and polished drums. In anticipation of their upcoming album, I had the chance to discuss with Wennerstom what else is on her mind, and what you should be listening to after you stream their new single.
What have you been listening to the most lately?
In all truth, I haven’t been listening to that much music lately. Well, that’s not true, I have been exploring a lot of things, working on making a playlist, but I have been listening to a lot of music as of late because I thought it would be fun to start doing some playlists, but, with that I’ve just been listening to a real big variety of stuff but maybe I could mention some stuff that’s on the playlist? Ok, my recent playlist is, oh! Somebody I discovered is LHASA DE SELA. Are you familiar? Oh my god, her voice is just…it’s kind of heartbreaking and comforting all at the same time? I was at a retreat in Ecuador in January and a guy I met at the retreat had mentioned her, and I had never heard of her. I think she’s Canadian, and she’s passed away but uh, wow, it’s just really great stuff, the album that I’m really into is -not that I’m not into the other stuff I just haven’t explored it much yet- it’s just self-titled with her first name which is Lhasa.
I kind of got into ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER recently. I randomly started checking it out and I’m really into that. Let’s see what else I’ve put on there…I like an artist called JENNY O., I met her when I was recording my upcoming album in Los Angeles and I went and saw a show of her and I just really, really loved her show. She did a lot of it by herself then, she had some artists come up and join her. Her new album is called New Truth.
I want to give HAMILTON LEITHAUSER a shout out too. I just have always loved his voice and I’ve heard some stuff on his new album and I just love it. I like KEVIN MORBY…There’s this guy MICHAEL RAULT, he’s from Canada, he’s on the same label that SHARON JONES is on, Daptone Records? I like MOLLY SARLE…I like PAUL CAUTHEN…TY SEGALL, man I just love him, I think he’s a genius. You know who I’ve gotten into a lot lately, this band WHY?. Some of them are from, or I think all of them are from Cincinnati. Dave in Heartless Bastards cousin is in that band, and he would mention them over the years, and I know his cousin but I’ve never really listened to them and I am super into it now. I started listening to them after the shutdown and I was just like, wow! I can’t believe I haven’t checked this out until now!
So I know you’ve been using Spotify, has that been your favorite way of discovering new music lately? Or is it on records, live shows, friends recommendations?
I’ve just been using Spotify to create a playlist but I’ll check stuff on YouTube sometimes. I think it’s always nice when somebody tells you about something, but it’s also nice to randomly discover something too. Like maybe you watched some YouTube video and they always put something on after it and it’s kind of random, kind of like how people have Pandora. I think that’s nice when you all of a sudden hear something that really grabs you.
At this point in my life, I don’t usually go through big searches of trying to discover new stuff. I spend so much time trying to create music that I actually spend a lot of my time in silence because that’s when my ideas come to me. I typically drive in silence, or I listen to NPR, BUT with that said, I very much LOVE so many artists. I can hear a song once and it grabs me and I will never forget the artist. I will never forget how much I like that song and then I can go back and refer to that song and talk about it. It might not even be something that I go back and listen to 10 times or 100 times, it’s just something that grabs me and I never forgot it. Which to me, is definitely a sign of a good song too.
What’s the first thing that strikes you when you hear a new artist or band? Is there anything that makes or breaks it for you?
I think sometimes it’s really hard to point out that je ne sais quoi? It’s got that little thing you just can’t put your finger fully on. Somehow a particular song by an artist has something that really grabs you, it’s got all the elements there. It’s got good lyrics, it’s got a good melody, they have a great voice. Sometimes a great voice isn’t necessarily even a classically trained thing either…BOB DYLAN, probably one of my favorite voices and you know, I think there’s mixed opinions. I’ve heard my whole life people say Bob Dylan can’t sing, I certainly don’t agree. He’s just got that certain something! I think sometimes, sadly, if there’s a really, really, bad lyric, it can ruin a whole song, it really can for me. It’s got to be really, really, bad you know? There are lyrics that are fine, every word doesn’t have to be this precious perfect poem, there are just things that stand out a little more and that’s different for everybody. Who knows, somebody may have said something about what I’ve written.
How did your musical tastes evolve throughout the years, from when you were a kid, all the way to now?
Oh sheesh yeah! Has yours? I’m going to turn that question on you! Let’s just say I hope so, you know? When I was a kid, I wanted to sing too but I just listened to general Pop music, and honestly there’s nothing wrong with that. Now, as I get older, I just think I’ve grown to like just thoughtful works of others or my own, or I like to put a lot of thought or care into it. I don’t know how many five year olds listen to TOM WAITS, you know what I mean? My mom used to take me to her friends, some of them played Jazz in a local club. They did this Sunday afternoon thing and she’d bring my brother and I there and I was just bored out of my mind! But you know, I was a kid, and I love Jazz music now. I mean, it depends on what kind and actually I kind of differ on some tastes of Jazz that my mom likes. She likes some kind of more modern or New Age Jazz, stuff like that. I’m not so much into that but I love old MILES DAVIS, JOHN COLTRANE, stuff like that.
Can you name some songs that you consider “perfect songs” and explain what they mean to you?
Gosh, there’s a lot. There’s something about Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay, by OTIS REDDING that has ALWAYS just been moving to me and it’s made me feel…I don’t know, some kind of feeling, like a summer breeze. The lyrics, when I think about it there’s that, but just that feeling!
I just love that KURT VILE song Walking on a Pretty Day, that’s another song that’s kind of been that same vibe as Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay to me. To be honest, I don’t even know if I can understand all the lyrics! I’d have to sit down and really think about it, I just love how it sounds. No words stand out, if I think a lyric is bad, it’ll stand out. Whatever’s in that song, it just makes me really relaxed and peaceful.
What are some of the most memorable shows that you’ve ever seen? What makes them stand out?
I’ve seen a lot of shows. One of the first things that popped in my head, SHARON JONES, but it was kind more of a funny story that happened. She invited some girls to come up and join her on stage to dance, and this girl wandered over to a microphone and just started singing! And then she was kind of like, “Oh hell no!” The girl kind of wandered over and did this, it was very…I can’t even think of the right word for it… it’s like someone invites you up on stage to dance and you just take it upon yourself to start singing at the crowd! So that kind of quickly stopped, but then when the girl left the stage, I guess she probably felt a little awkward after being called out for it since she forgot her flip flops…and she was like, “oh honey, you forgot your flip flops!” The show itself, you know maybe that’s a discredit to Sharon from me to even tell that part of the story because really the music itself was really great. She’s such a powerful, amazing performer. That was just this funny moment at the concert, I won’t forget it.
TAME IMPALA, really! I saw them years ago at Stubbs, I loved it, it was so good. Just every bit of it. I think MY MORNING JACKET puts on an incredible show.
Oh! You know who is one of the most incredible concerts I’ve ever seen, and I’ve got to do a tour with him, is ANDREW BIRD, have you seen him live? Oh my God, man that guy! He’ll play a violin part, then loop it, and then do three or four layers of violin and loop it. Then, maybe he’ll set it down and flip his guitar from his back around to the front, and start playing acoustic guitar and looping that. Just even what he can do even before the band plays, it’s like he’s from another planet, literally. It’s amazing, I highly, highly recommend it.
Is there a band you’ve always wanted to see live but have never had a chance to catch them?
Lots really! I don’t know if alive or dead count, I’ve always wanted to see LED ZEPPELIN with John Bonham playing but that’s not going to happen.
You know who I really like is ALDOUS HARDING, have you heard her? I think she’s got a great really unique voice. I’d love to see TINARIWEN. As far as what I haven’t seen yet, I really love Tuareg music. Oh man, I would have loved to have seen FUNKADELIC! Can You Get To That, it’s one of my favorite songs of all time, add it to my perfect songs.
What band or artist do you believe has achieved the most perfect discography?
It’s kind of rare that I feel that way. BOB DYLAN is one of the most incredible songwriters of all time, but I certainly can’t listen to everything he’s put out, you know?
The thing is, that one song somebody might deem not a good route, it might have changed somebody else’s life, you know what I mean? I like that when I speak about music, I also know that I am just but a tiny speck of dust and my opinion doesn’t really have value to weigh somebody else’s art.
You know who I think can do no wrong? I mean, really nobody, nobody can do wrong when they’re creating art at all, that’s what I think. You know what I mean, because we’re all just expressing ourselves, but I think NICK CAVE.
What is the most impressive band you’ve toured with? The one that you just had to watch every night. Did you learn anything from them by watching them?
Oh God, you know who is amazing, is WHITE DENIM. They’re just such good musicians. They’re local here to Austin. They don’t even stop in between songs, it’s the musicianship that blows my mind. Do not try this at home! To me, I don’t know if I could do what they do, I don’t even want to try. I guess I can just be inspired by how wonderful it is.
No Comments