Delight is 'a comin! Heed my advice, messieurs and mesdemoiselles: if you nest & play in the Bay Area you should consider spending this Saturday evening in the company of Au Revoir Simone and The Antlers. It's an unexpected pairing, yet both bands are marvelous—and tickets are only $16, o my!
Au Revoir Simone released their latest album, Still Night, Still Light, in May and I'm curious to hear their new tunes in a live setting. Initially, I was a little worried about liking Still Night, Still Light, but it's a very good album. Perfect for spring—its swirly, group harmony-driven vocals and pretty keyboard chimes radiate a sincere simplicity. Still Night, Still Light is dreamy electro-pop at its most elegant.
Buy it. Listen to it. Grab some warm tea flavored with ginger slices. Listen to it again. Love it.
I received an email from Erika Spring (the tallest Au Revoir member) after I wrote about them several weeks ago. She was planning to lighten & brighten her tresses' hue and thought my post was humorous—timing-wise, that is. Our conversation resulted in the mini-interview below. As an aside, Erika is delightful and gracious—every bit as lovely as the songs Au Revoir Simone create.
Hi
Erika! Congratulations on your new album and thank you for taking the
time to answer a few questions. Getting right to the new record, I've
listened to the album several times now and it always leaves me awash
with creativity. A lovely mood-piece, Still Night, Still Light renders
me distracted and day-dreaming, content and contemplative. This is a
welcome condition for a list-orientated, deadline-driven editor like
myself, so thank you!
I'm curious about the title.
I know many of the songs were written as you were touring and dealing
with homesickness and exhaustion. Is the thematic notion of
"stillness" meaningful somehow?
We
came up with the album title in our practice space. We were just
throwing out words that felt the way the songs felt to us. Maybe we
like the way it rolls off the tongue, but yes, stillness is
something we all value so much—and not only because of touring. Even
when I'm home I sometimes experience a different type of homesickness
and exhaustion. I'm getting better at not worrying about stuff though,
letting it be!
I really like
the album artwork. It's a pretty literal interpretation of the album's title, no? Who designed it?
The album art is a detail of an India ink drawing by the artist Samuel Palmer. We were scrambling to find something magical and weren't settling on a photo of us. I found a postcard of a Samuel Palmer painting
from a show at the Met a few years ago with a very haunting tree. The
rendering and colors were so lovely and connected to my idea of what I
wanted for the album art, so when I started researching his other work
and found out he essentially specialized in romantic pastoral
moonscapes with spiritual undertones I knew I'd hit the jackpot.
This one in particular I think is truly amazing.
It's gorgeous, I agree. So you've been writing songs with Annie and Heather for over five years now, correct? How is your new work different from The Bird of Music and Verses of Comfort, Assurance & Salvation? And how did you become involved with producer Thom Monahan?
Yes,
we got together in 2003. Working on Still Night, Still Light was a
bigger project for us. Our band had grown a lot since recording the
last one, and we had spent a few years on tour together when we
started writing and recording. The album was our main focus in life
during those months—basically all of 2008. We felt this beautiful
mix of opportunity and responsibility and privilege. We were
interviewing all kinds of producers and studios. We found out about
Thom through Bjorn from Peter Bjorn and John. We tried out a song together and it
all felt just right.
Are there times when you write separately? Do you ever bring songs to
the band and feel protective about your ideas of what the song is
intended to be versus what it is transforming into?
Yes, we all bring in songs that we come up with individually, and sometimes it works out to make them into Au Revoir Simone songs
and sometimes not. But its never really disappointing either way, it's
more of a feeling. And it is funny to think about the original ideas
and how they become adapted. We call it putting it through the dream
crystal. That's how it gets to be an ARS song.
I know you are in the middle of your North American tour. How's it going so far?
Today was great! We are almost to Houston from Dallas. We got our air conditioning fixed in Memphis which was an important
piece of the puzzle. We have been hotwiring up a storm and getting
really good deals on hotels that have duvets and nice pillows and
swimming pools. Food, not so much, and we haven't had time to stop at a Whole Foods this whole
time. But in terms actual shows, they have been so much fun. I
love playing the new songs live. The crowds have been amazing—people
dance a lot in the south. The New York City show was maybe the
highlight though because we played a really amazing venue in our
neighborhood in Brooklyn. It was filled with friends and just really
great energy. But we are so lucky to have amazing fans. Even The Antlers say that our fans are the sweetest. We've met really nice people every night.
Frankly, I was elated to learn that The Antlers are opening for you in San Francisco. I'm a fan of Peter Silberman and I'm infatuated with his new album, Hospice. The Au Revoir/Antlers pairing was initially surprising to me since Hospice is
the saddest thing I've ever heard in my entire life. But then I
realized that both bands write songs that are dreamy and
cheery-sounding in spots, yet upon closer examination the lyrics
are plaintive and sometimes heart-breakingly resigned. I know both bands
hail from Brooklyn, and I'm always curious with how bands end up playing together. Are you friends with The Antlers?
We are friends now! They are very cool guys
and really amazing musicians and have a great dynamic as a trio. We
didn't know each other before this tour. Our booking agent suggested
it and we like the music, etc, etc. We're so please to have them
along.
Changing topics—I'm also a huge
admirer of french filmmaker Vincent Moon and would like to ask about
your experience working with him awhile back. I recently came across
your La Blogotheque take-away sessions filmed in the streets of
Brooklyn in the summer of 2006. These one-shot vignette performances
are wonderful. Vincent's work always seems to be so impromptu. Did you
pick out the locations beforehand?
Vincent
Moon is amazing. He is a truly inspired person—always buzzing with
creative energy but in a quiet almost secretive way, which is the best
way I think. We did another taping with him recently at a hotel in New York City,
which was really fun. And, as you suspected, its all very spontaneous.
We make a tiny plan before pressing record, but the more you hang out
with him you realize he pretty much always has his camera rolling.
He's sneaky that way.
As a final note, I've seen you perform at Great American Music Hall and The Independent,
but I suspect your upcoming show at Bimbo's will be your loveliest San
Francisco-backdrop yet. This old venue has a lot of charm, and our city
is pleased to have you back. Thanks so much for talking with me and
answering my queries!
Thanks Liz! I'm so looking forward to seeing Bimbo's—and looking forward to meeting you there!
(You can purchase tickets to their upcoming San Francisco performance here. Make sure to purchase them through SonicLiving—it's my pal Gabe's brilliant concerting tool. ♥ it.)
All or Nothing (Live on WOXY) - Au Revoir Simone | purchase original track 
Tell Me (Live on WOXY) - Au Revoir Simone | purchase original track
