Barsuk Records
It would be easy to dismiss the Wooden Birds as just another indie acoustic band. After all its home of Austin Texas is coined the live music capital of the world and manages to live up to that name pretty well with festivals such as SXSW and Austin City Limits drawing tens of thousands of fans from all over the world.
But there’s something about Andrew Kenny — the ex-frontman of American Analog Set and occasional contributor to Broken Social Scene — and his new band that draws you in. Yes most of the strumming patterns are the same from song to song. Yes the percussion is reserved and not entirely unique. But rather than working against the band these things gently collaborate with the gorgeous vocal harmonies created by Kenny and Leslie Sisson to make something that is absolutely worth listening to as the summer winds down (I know that I’m not meant to mention that).
Two Matchsticks which is the second album by the Wooden Birds takes what was begun in Magnolia combines it with a full band and sets the listener off in the direction of what can best be described as a combination of the hushed songs of Iron & Wine the pitch-perfect harmonies of the Civil Wars a touch of Sufjan Stevens’s vocal tone and the musical simplicity of U2. Sure it sounds like an odd combination but it works.
The album won’t be to everyone’s liking but over time the soothing melodies have a good chance of taking over your iPod.
james wilt
James Wilt: So you’re in Austin right now?
Andrew Kenny: Yeah. We just got back in from tour.
JW: How did the tour go?
AK: It was great. It was definitely our best one. We played really well. We had a new lineup with Chris Hansen playing guitar — a guy that’s kind of in our family — so I don’t know. It definitely felt like the first tour for our new record and a lot of people coming out and having a good time. It was fun.
JW: Are there bigger crowds now compared to when Magnolia was released?
AK: Well yes. We’re still a very small band. I wouldn’t say that we play giant shows or anything but I would say that the turnout was what I would expect from a band on their second record and their first tour out. I call it a success but we’re a small band.
JW: I’ve chatted with some bands that say they continue to work out a lot of their songs on the road. Is that similar to how you play or do you have most of it figured out before you leave?
AK: You know it is. But everything we’d taken on tour with us we’d taken on tour before. We knew that this would be a really important tour for us because we’re trying to get a lot of ducks in a row press- and asset-wise for the release of Two Matchsticks so all the kinks were basically worked out before the first show. We’d taken all of these songs on the road before save one. We had one official new song. Well a lot of them were new ’cause they were on Two Matchsticks but they were all songs that we’d taken on the road before and worked out even before they were recorded.
We worked out what we wanted to do with those. We kind of knew the show we wanted to put on and we practised it basically for this last year. We went out with Dan Mangan and we did that tour with the Clientele. These were all tours where we brought along new songs and got them worked out. We were hitting on all cylinders at least for a goofy little mid-tempo rock band. Maybe our engine only has four cylinders but we were hitting on all of them when our tour started. (Laughs.)
JW: I read on a Pitchfork review that you played all the instruments on Two Matchsticks yourself. Is that true?
AK: No that’s not entirely true. I think that Pitchfork may have interpreted the press kit a little strictly but songs start somewhere and I did play some percussion and some bass and some lead guitar and singing on the record and on every song. But that isn’t to say that I was solely responsible for the record. We’re a group and we have other vocalists in the group and other guitar players and a drummer. They have a lot to do with what the parts are and where they go once they’re introduced.
It was definitely a much more collaborative effort. Magnolia was kind of a one-man operation which isn’t to say that I had no help on that record either. I did and it was a lot of the same people. Having been a band for a couple of years after Magnolia was released and done a lot of touring Two Matchsticks was a collaborative effort.
JW: How has the songwriting process changed for the band since more people have officially come on board?
AK: It couldn’t have been a more drastic change than from the last record. The Wooden Birds and Magnolia kind of came into being at one time. The band was invented to record that record and the record was released so that the band would have something to tour on. As that record was being recorded the band was more-or-less imaginary. Leslie was there singing and we had Chris Michaels chipping in — he helped record that record with me — and Sean was around; we always kind of knew that he would be the drummer even though there weren’t drums on the record.
So we had people around but we didn’t even know what people were going to play at that point. We kind of threw the instruments up and I said that I’d take the last available because I’m singing so I’ll play whatever. We threw the instruments up and I kind of caught the bass. As it turns out I really wanted to be the bass player because I think I’m an interesting bass player. But it really was kind of an imaginary band. As we toured — we played a bunch of shows in support of Magnolia in Europe and in the States — we kind of became a band that I think had strengths and they weren’t really as apparent as they were on every song.
There were songs that we did in recording that were maybe more recording projects: They didn’t quite come across live as well. Or as members changed some guitar players played different songs better. By the time Two Matchsticks came around we tried to steer the songs in the direction that would sound better live. Now that Two Matchsticks is out here’s an album that we can play every single song on because we tested them out on the road and worked on them with the knowledge that the band isn’t imaginary any longer. We know what we can do. We know what we’re good at.
Two Matchsticks I think was a better record. That was the biggest reason just because the band wasn’t a fantasy. The band was a real thing that played a lot of shows. Is that rambling enough for you? (Laughs.)
JW: You mentioned that you see yourself as an interesting bass player. I’ve tended to see a lot of bass players just chill out and plod along. Is there anything that you do differently in your attitude?
AK: It depends on who you ask. When you compare me to a real bass player maybe I don’t have exactly the chops that a real bass player has. And I know that I probably won’t ever have those chops because I just started playing bass a few years ago. But a lot of those bass players will also tell you that “He plays bass like a guitar player.” That part I disagree with.
What that usually means is that you spend a lot of time up high doing a lot of melody. You play a lot of thirds which to me sound really sick on a bass. I’m like first fifths and fourths. I play down low and I’m definitely a part of the rhythm section. All my bass is palm-muted and if I’m not playing a note then my fingers are up and I’m playing a little grace note like a chuck note. Even on slow songs I’m playing eighths and every eighth note. I play very quickly.
And it helps with the rhythm of the song. It helps the percussive nature of the recordings come across live. It’s definitely a part of the sound of the band and I really like how I play bass even though it may not be appropriate for 90 per cent of the bands that are out there. I probably wouldn’t be a good bass player in any other band except for the Wooden Birds. Thankfully I’m in the right band.
JW: You alluded a couple of times to the fact that the band is unique in its own right which I completely agree with. How do you ensure that your music stays distinct or is heard in all the other acoustic-indie acts which can probably be found in Austin?
AK: There are some things that are in your control and some things that are out of your control. That’s definitely something that’s not. Anybody that tells you that they’re in control of that is either lying to you or themselves. When the concept of the band was created and we started working on these songs — this is from Magnolia even — we knew kind of what we wanted the band to sound like. We wanted the percussion to be there. We think that we’re at our best when Leslie and I are singing together. As the band progresses we do a lot more of that.
We knew that we wanted the vocals to be really prominent and important so we worked harder on the lyrics. The colours on the palette were there before the canvas was even stretched. We knew what we wanted it to be like. If it turns out that it’s kind of unique then great! If it’s not then I’d rather do what I want to do and have it be what it is than try to scratch a place in the sand that’s only definition is that it isn’t somebody else’s place in the sand. Does that make sense?
It’s always been my opinion that you should make the music that you want to make. If it winds up that you have an audience then awesome. If it doesn’t then at least you’re in one of your favourite bands. Or you better be.
JW: I really do appreciate your music. I’m just wondering if you ever get any reactions from people that your music is too chill or relaxed. I could see myself driving off of the highway just because I’m soothed by your voices.
AK: I won’t say it hasn’t happened. It’s not a complaint but it is a criticism of some kind. I will say that the live show is a rock show. There’s electric guitars and drums and it’s a lot more of a rock experience. A lot more energy goes into those things. But on record I just think it’s just perfect for what it is.
If I was going to ever take offence to someone saying that my music was too mellow I would have either gotten over it in American Analog Set or killed myself. I guess I got over it in the American Analog Set. I spent too long in that band to take that seriously. (Laughs.)
JW: Do you ever feel that you get asked too many questions about American Analog Set now that you’re with the Wooden Birds?
AK: I hope it never stops. The Analog Set remains one of my favourite bands not just because I was in it. I think the American Analog Set was a really good band. Live it got better over the years. On record it got better over the years. We never stopped because we didn’t like it. We stopped because we wanted to do other stuff in life. These are still my guys. These are still my best friends. I see them all the time especially since I moved back to Austin. I hope people always ask about the Analog Set because I never get tired of talking about it. It was a big part of my life.
JW: How was your time in Brooklyn?
AK: I like Brooklyn but then again I’ve never not liked where I’ve lived. No matter what neighbourhood I’m in or what city I’m in I’ve always found something that I’ve liked a lot about it. Whatever that means. I was fine with Brooklyn but I always felt like an Austinite in Brooklyn. I never felt like it was my home but I really had a good time living there. I met my wife there. Now we’ve been married for a few years and moved back to Austin.
I’ve never had a shortage of people that I’ve wanted to play with. I always had fun making music in Brooklyn. It’s kind of a hassle to get drums to a rehearsal space sure but you also have lots of venues and lots of people that like music there. It’s a very perfect place for music creation.
JW: I hear Austin’s pretty bad for that.
AK: Oh yeah. Austin’s horrible. It’s a no man’s land. OK you’re right. Austin’s awesome too. (Laughs.) No Austin’s great as well. I have lots of friends down here that make music. Maybe Austin is even better because when you’re older being of age in Brooklyn. I don’t know. They don’t embrace the gypsy lifestyle quite as much. In Austin it’s OK. I’m 40 years old and I make the most meagre living you could make in my position but I get by and have a good time doing it.
I think it’s kind of a romantic and beautiful thing. In Brooklyn as close to the music industry as I was out there I always kind of felt like the low man on the totem pole. I knew publicists and A&R reps and magazine editors that I don’t think they were looking down their nose at me but it was definitely a different part of the food chain for sure.
JW: How long did you spend there in total?
AK: A few months shy of six years. My wife was there for seven. That’s 2002 to 2010 I guess?
JW: Was that for music or education?
AK: I went up there for graduate school first. I went to Columbia for my PhD but I didn’t finish my PhD. I left to make the last American Analog Set record ’cause I really wanted to do it. We toured a lot for that then I didn’t go back. I started playing bass for a band called Ola Podrida and I spent the last half of that year — 2007 — with Kevin Drew and the Broken Social Scene solo record.
I don’t know. I’ve just been bouncing around doing music since then. There’s science in my future. I don’t know when it’s going to happen and it probably won’t be at that level. Obviously if you turn your back on an Ivy League school you won’t be taken very seriously next time you come knocking. I would hope they wouldn’t take me seriously. But when it’s time I imagine I’ll be washing bottles for few years but I definitely see some bench work in my future at some point.
JW: Is singing and being a musician basically your full-time gig?
AK: More or less. I’m not too proud to do the occasional odd job. I do a little bookkeeping. When we were making Two Matchsticks and we weren’t playing out I did a little bookkeeping for a shop on South Congress which is kind of a little drag that has a lot of shops on it. I work here and there but I guess for better or for worse this is what I do for a living.
JW: In that case was the song “Company Time” inspired by a specific job or more of a culture?
AK: I don’t know where that came from. My neighbour is also a musician and unbeknownst to either of us we both bought the same automobile in the same week. We both have identical Subarus in our driveway right now. It made both of us feel kind of gross so we had to have a night were we sipped tequila and laughed about it so we felt that we weren’t trying to keep up with each other. But he’s in Explosions in the Sky so he’s doing really really well. I don’t know.
JW: So can we expects any future collaborations with Explosions?
AK: No. They do what they do. I love their band enough to say that they’re better off without me contributing anything and I love the new Explosions album. It’s awesome. I think it’s one of my favourite things that they’ve ever done. I haven’t got to see them for this new record but I can’t wait. I’m going to love it so much.
The Analog Set knew those guys back in the late ’90s and we’ve known those dudes forever and ever. We’ve been on their team for as long as they’ve had a team. If they ever need a sweet back-up singer they know they’ve got one next door. But for a band without a singer they’re hardly in need of any back-up singing. (Laughs.)
JW: Any plans of coming to Calgary at any point? I noticed that your tour stopped through Toronto but seemed to disappear from there.
AK: Well the next thing we’re going to do is we’ve made ourselves available through Barsuk and through our booking agent to find a support tour with a larger band. So we’ll kind of go wherever they go. Hopefully I get to come.
JW: That would be really cool.
AK: Yeah. I hope that you get a chance to see us live ’cause if you like the songs then the show really brings them up. It kind of makes them a lot more engaging. It’s not a bunch of acoustic guitars and handshakers. It feels like a mid-tempo rock song to me. It feels dynamic and lots of singing. I think it’s a cool show.
