Yes absolutely. I love hip hop, in particular the production on a lot of hip hop records always seemed vastly more interesting to me than stuff in mainstream rock or pop. I also always loved how prominent the drums are on those records and that's what I aim for. I have memories of being in my first bands and whenever you'd sit in or play or hear a band live, the drums were ALWAYS just the loudest fucking thing because we had these tiny guitar amps. So for me I always want to capture that energy that comes when you hear a band in a room and the drums are a very big part of that. I always think that drums are mixed too quietly on lots of records, but that's changed a lot recently with how prominent trap music influences became in mainstream pop. As for hip hop records, Daytona by Pusha T is a big somewhat recent favorite of mine. Kendrick is always incredible, I loved TPAB. All the old school great hip hop producers still have a huge pull on my production style and those would mostly be Dilla (of course), Pete Rock, DJ Premier, RZA, DJ Shadow, Dan the Automator, guys like that. Q-Tip as well. That last Tribe record is hugely underrated IMO.
Needles & Grooves AotM /// Vol. 36 - June 2022 /// Mexico City Blondes - Blush
- Thread starter debianlinux
- Start date
Working on it
We tend to take our time and not force things. All the best stuff we've done just flows, the stuff you have to grind out is just never as good.
debianlinux
Well-Known Member
My copy of Blush has a big "This is a Burger Record" hype sticker on it. It was indeed this sticker that brought my attention to the ill-fated label. You've insinuated that the implosion was quite the ordeal and while I have no intention of having you relive it or dredge up the worst aspects of it, I am curious to hear how some of the fallout affected you personally, what it's like to lose a label you chose for personal taste reasons, and what the future looks like now.
gaporter
Well-Known Member
Greetings, @MCBgreg! 
I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to chat with our forum here, Blush is one of the albums I've gravitated to a lot in the last few years, especially since the start of COVID. It's a great record to be able sit down and submerge yourself in, it's been a big comfort to my ears (and my mind), so thank you for the amazing music!
I have a couple questions, hopefully not too many
1) I'm always interested in how songs evolve and change while an album is being made. Are there any songs on Blush that were drastically different in their early stages compared to the final version we hear on the album?
2) What are some of your guys' favorite movies? Are there any films that influenced the album at all?
3) What is the earliest example you can recall of a piece of music really connecting with you? Any specific songs or albums you can point to that had a major impact on you?
I appreciate you taking the time out of your day to chat with our forum here, Blush is one of the albums I've gravitated to a lot in the last few years, especially since the start of COVID. It's a great record to be able sit down and submerge yourself in, it's been a big comfort to my ears (and my mind), so thank you for the amazing music!I have a couple questions, hopefully not too many
1) I'm always interested in how songs evolve and change while an album is being made. Are there any songs on Blush that were drastically different in their early stages compared to the final version we hear on the album?
2) What are some of your guys' favorite movies? Are there any films that influenced the album at all?
3) What is the earliest example you can recall of a piece of music really connecting with you? Any specific songs or albums you can point to that had a major impact on you?
Was tough honestly for many reasons. I felt horrible for the victims first of all. And sad and betrayed that the label that we really enjoyed being part of had such a dark history. The music industry is brutal, there's no no two ways about it. It's a super volatile space filled mostly with bullshit artists but when we met with Sean (former label head) we really felt like we were dealing with someone who genuinely just loves music and lives and breathes it. Really felt like a good home for how we like to create (pretty much all on our own without any outside intervention) and it was sad to let that go. FWIW I don't think Sean was ever accused of any improprieties and he was always wonderful to work with. We loved Jessa too who took over briefly before folding it for good.
So glad to hear it!! Not too many at all:Greetings, @MCBgreg!
I have a couple questions, hopefully not too many
1) I'm always interested in how songs evolve and change while an album is being made. Are there any songs on Blush that were drastically different in their early stages compared to the final version we hear on the album?
2) What are some of your guys' favorite movies? Are there any films that influenced the album at all?
3) What is the earliest example you can recall of a piece of music really connecting with you? Any specific songs or albums you can point to that had a major impact on you?
1.) Oh yeah, lots were very different early on. Since we don't have a "band" that we write and work out the songs with, the production is always in flux. The one that probably changed the most was "Reasons Why". We actually wrote that track in like a basement studio at this middle school in Silverlake, Los Angeles with this great canadian guy and electro producer named Sam. He originally took the lead on the production and it was good. Had a very 80s tilt to it. He opted not to release on his record but we still really loved the song but felt like the vibe was way too different to include on Blush so I stripped it all back, just kept the vocal and rebuilt the track from the ground up to sound more like how we would've done it. Our collaborator, Sam, really loved how that came out which I was pleased and relieved about
2.) I love films but always blank when having to think back about my favorites! I'm a very visual person so I think when working on songs I have some kind of a visual idea in mind. One film that I loved recently was "Drive My Car". It's based on a short story by Haruki Murakami who is one of my favorite contemporary authors. The film adaptation moved me deeply. I've been thinking about it for weeks now. Not for everyone most likely, but I found it beautiful and deeply affecting.
3.) I feel like the first music I really connected with as a young kid (maybe like 1st - 2nd grade era) was musicals actually. I remember having a cassette tape of the original cast recording of "West Side Story" and I wore that tape out. I loved the songs and I remember trying to work out the melodies on our neighbor's piano at the time. That was the first music I can recall that really moved me to try and get inside it and replicate it. I got into rock music later on. My mom used to always play like Zeppelin IV and Dark Side of the Moon so those drew me in pretty hard.
debianlinux
Well-Known Member
What/Whose are the two amazing houses (maybe the same?) in the videos for Fade and Addio?
This is so rad. I, also, fell in love with old musicals as a kid. Singing in the Rain was one of my faves.
Where’s your favorite place to play? Any cities you like the most?
Allie here!Greetings all! Yup still early here and I think Allie will be around this afternoon to jump in but definitely keep the Qs coming. Great questions Jeremy:
1.) Yes absolutely. As a producer I love working with samples. For me it always immediately sets the vibe a little better than starting a track with a drum machine pattern or basic guitar riff. I think there are samples on every track on that record, just off the top of my head. And honest to god, I can't really remember where each come from. I generally tend to mangle them up a bunch to suit what I'm looking for and also because indie rock doesn't pay enough for us to be able to clear samples
2.) Biggest is probably the dreampop and trip hop stuff. The first time we met we really bonded over how much love we had for Beach House and Massive Attack in particular.
3.) Here's what I've got on my turntable! I went to a record fair two weeks ago and am still digging through all the stuff I got. This one had a ton of cool old breakbeat stuff so I'm working through to find some cool samples for inspiration. I love taking samples off of vinyl since it has such a lovely distortion that isn't there in the digital realm and I love the cracks/pops/air that hangs around those samples. Always makes a track sound much more cohesive when you've got a bit of that ambiance in.
2.) Huge, lifelong obsession with Portishead and Elisabeth Fraser, especially when Greg and I met. More currently, our overlap is probably Khruangbin..and Roisin Murphy ha xx
Oh man, you guys..I was HUGE into musicals, I swear I know every word to The Sound of Music
I adored Austin the time we played there for SXSW, the people were rad and engaged...not too cool to say hey!
I would love to play the outdoor stage at Pappy and Harriet's someday..a unique venue near Joshua Tree, you can't beat the night sky backdrop
debianlinux
Well-Known Member
I get strong Portishead vibes from some of the trip hoppiness of Blush but also strong Beth Gibbons vibes from your melodies and inflections.
2.) Greg--I'm not sure I knew you also love Haruki Murakami. He is near the top of my list too. xxSo glad to hear it!! Not too many at all:
1.) Oh yeah, lots were very different early on. Since we don't have a "band" that we write and work out the songs with, the production is always in flux. The one that probably changed the most was "Reasons Why". We actually wrote that track in like a basement studio at this middle school in Silverlake, Los Angeles with this great canadian guy and electro producer named Sam. He originally took the lead on the production and it was good. Had a very 80s tilt to it. He opted not to release on his record but we still really loved the song but felt like the vibe was way too different to include on Blush so I stripped it all back, just kept the vocal and rebuilt the track from the ground up to sound more like how we would've done it. Our collaborator, Sam, really loved how that came out which I was pleased and relieved about
2.) I love films but always blank when having to think back about my favorites! I'm a very visual person so I think when working on songs I have some kind of a visual idea in mind. One film that I loved recently was "Drive My Car". It's based on a short story by Haruki Murakami who is one of my favorite contemporary authors. The film adaptation moved me deeply. I've been thinking about it for weeks now. Not for everyone most likely, but I found it beautiful and deeply affecting.
3.) I feel like the first music I really connected with as a young kid (maybe like 1st - 2nd grade era) was musicals actually. I remember having a cassette tape of the original cast recording of "West Side Story" and I wore that tape out. I loved the songs and I remember trying to work out the melodies on our neighbor's piano at the time. That was the first music I can recall that really moved me to try and get inside it and replicate it. I got into rock music later on. My mom used to always play like Zeppelin IV and Dark Side of the Moon so those drew me in pretty hard.
The film I saw lately that stuck with me recently was "Don't Look Up". I definitely err on the side of cynical when it comes to lyrics/subject matter, so I appreciated the slant.
3.) Vividly impacted by Dire Straits and The Everly Brothers thanks to my parents. Also musicals--Annie, Grease, The Sound of Music, Wizzard of OZ, omg Fiddler on the Roof. I've got to make sure I've fully appreciated West Side Story
Hey Jonathan, I take the blame for not producing new albums quickly. Greg is an absolute machine and he has enviable creative ideas. Since I'm a super literal person and songwriting is no exception, I always tell him I have to wait for life to happen before I can write about it. I'm not sure if everyone is aware that Blush is actually our sophomore release, you can check out our first self-titled album in the meantime and I really hope it's enjoyable too, I love it
Jonathan Y
Well-Known Member
Aww thanks Allie. I think we'd both been creatively stuck a little bit with the pandemic. When it first arrived, I thought, well at least I'll have lots of time to work on music and I did! But... I just ended up spinning my wheels and didn't have much inspiration because there wasn't much life to live then. I feel like recently though I have turned a corner and am actually putting some things together that I really love again. Hopefully Allie catches the same spark and we'll be on our way
I love the house in the Fade video. I have a good friend in SB here that used to housesit at that place and we would party there a lot when she would. When the time came to film a video, the director wanted a mid-century modern and I was like.... ahhh I know just the spot. Fortunately the owners were fans of the song and incredibly accommodating. Allie did all the work on that shoot, I had a blast just drinking poolside with all our local friends who we cast in the video and occasionally asking the director if he needed anything from me (he mostly did not). The interior shots for the Addio vid were actually done at a set in downtown LA. The rest of that video is shot throughout LA and the beach was North Malibu near Point Dume. Shoutout to both directors, Tom Kenney and Anisha Sisodia. Hope to work with them again someday!
Thanks everyone for a great AMA! We can't tell you how much we appreciate your interest in us and our music. We hope the songs stay near and dear to you. Until next time friends...
Tyr
Well-Known Member
Wonderful choice @debianlinux! I remember when this album first started making the rounds in Le JQBX and we all, collectively, went banana sandwich for it.
Exquisite
Exquisite
Nee Lewman
बैस्टर्ड
Finally got around to listening this. LOVE IT!!! this is right up my alley!