Austinist Interviews SXSW: Aloha

It seems that some of the varied instrumentation (like the use of the vibraphone) is missing from Light Works. Was that a conscious choice?

It's never conscious. But there are some moments of piano or Wurlitzer piano where I'm thinking, 'Hey T.J., should we change that to vibes?' The result in the music would be no different, except it would have this signifier. It would be really self-conscious to add vibes just in anticipation of what people will think. We don't really try to please anyone but ourselves because our ideas are always moving on while a fan's view is 'I hope it's just like the last one.' Our music can be slow to reveal itself, but I know the EP has made converts of old Aloha fans who said WTF upon first listen.

What else did you guys try to do different with Light Works?

We made an acoustic EP. That's pretty different for us. In our demo-ing stage for the 5th Aloha LP I noticed a lot of good, pretty songs were piling up. I thought that, to move forward, we needed to clear the backlog and get a fresh start. And it personally made me happy to see these songs grow up rather than be forgotten.

Since you guys are split up between Cleveland, Brooklyn, Rochester and Washington, D.C., how does the song writing happen? Is it difficult?

It's not too difficult for us to write music. We all have computers and instruments at home. There is always a glut of music. When we get together things happen fast because our musical relationship is established and obviously it works or we wouldn't be making records. I'm usually in charge of making music into songs, and that is the greatest challenge.

Have you guys always done it that way?

In the early days we jammed everything out through a pretty democratic process, and maybe concocted a few things in the studio. Now we demo, jam, track and then edit and sculpt.

Photo courtesy Shawn Brackbill

Well, I think the truth is we live sort of a double life. When we're home from tour, we really get domestic. The experience of doing nothing in particular is ridiculously amplified. Just cooking dinner and taking a walk and sleeping in your bed is mind blowing. Touring is an amazing experience, and we pine for it after a few months at home. But I have a strong domestic inclination. The concept of home is an obsession for me, and touring has forged that.

In what city was your most memorable live show? Why was it memorable?

It's really sad that I can't answer this question without racking my brain. Playing in Singapore was an out-of-body experience. Looking at the water in front of us, I couldn't stop thinking about where I was. It was like I was looking down from above at this miniature band playing on the edge of the Earth.

You guys have been with Polyvinyl Records for a long time now. What group on the label past or present did you guys enjoy the most?

Back in the day, I loved Braid and Rainer Maria. I saw them play a basement together, the Legion of Doom, and at the time there was a strong Midwest thing happening, and I felt that Polyvinyl was the mothership. I had a strong instinct that we should be part of that. I can honestly say they have put out some of my most listened-to records including Saturday Looks Good to Me's All Your Summer Songs, (Of Montreal's) Satanic Panic in the Attic and of course Cale Parks.

What can we expect from you guys in terms of performance during you South by Southwest shows?

New songs from our 2008 LP to come and probably a more rowdy demeanor. Personally, I think I've lost a layer of inhibition this year, and I can't wait to get on the road and see how it plays out.