A Chat with Tracksuit (01.11.22)
Using an array of musical styles and sounds, singer-songwriter Brendan Rice, bassist Tyler Harrington and drummer Marcus Johnson form the indie-rock band Tracksuit. We speak with frontman Brendan Rice about their new album Hidden Words, binge-watching tv shows and future plans.
OSR: Cliché, but how did Tracksuit come about? What drew each of you to music?
Rice: We’ve all been playing music for a long time. I started playing the violin at age 4 or 5 and then learned guitar in high school, before moving on to learning how to sing and write and play other instruments. I had collaborated in previous bands and musical projects with both Tyler (bass) and Marcus (drums) and recruited them, along with a few other friends, to be my backing band when I was booked at a music festival as a solo performer in 2017. We had so much fun practising for the festival, the three of us decided to keep playing together and it eventually turned into Tracksuit.
OSR: What do you believe makes Tracksuit a unique band?
Rice: I think Tracksuit is unique in that we don’t really play one style of music, yet (hopefully) retain a clear identity. We can play psyche-rock songs, straight pop songs, moody acid jazz songs alongside acoustic country-tinged ballads and it still sounds like us. I don’t think there are really two songs on our new record that sound the same, each one has its own mood and vibe. We keep being described in reviews as an indie-rock Pink Floyd, which feels crazy to hear, but maybe isn’t?
OSR: What can you tell us about your latest album Hidden Words?
Rice: Hidden Worlds is a record that has a lot of different moods and is really meant to be listened to as a full album. I know we live in a world where the single is king/queen and the concept of listening to a whole record in one sitting isn’t really in fashion, but we still love approaching making records in that way. Each song on Hidden Worlds is crafted like a chapter in a book and the sequencing of those “chapters” was intentional to help create dynamic moods and emotional shifts that hopefully culminate in something provocative and satisfying for the listener. It also features a few special guests that we were really honoured to collaborate with. Dana Colley from low-rock pioneers Morphine contributed absolutely amazing saxophone parts to ‘Sea of Doubt’ that send the song off into space and Katharine Whalen from the Squirrel Nut Zippers elevated ‘The Jones March On’ and ‘Lament, Repeat’ with her haunting and beautiful harmonies. We are deeply grateful to them both for agreeing to be a part of the record and adding such great contributions.
OSR: Did you face any challenges when recording Hidden Words?
Rice: Anytime you make art that allows you to be vulnerable, takes you out of your comfort zone or tries to reach for something, it’s going to be messy. I wrote most of this record in a completely different way than I had on past projects.
We had a few songs written that we wanted to record live like ‘Ghost of Rome’ and ‘Sea of Doubt’, but about 75% of the record we made from instrumentals I had recorded by myself in my home studio during the pandemic lockdown. In the past, I typically wrote lyrics first or together with some kind of guitar part or from a jam with the band. These instrumentals were driven by other elements than just guitar, such as a keyboard part, bass line or drum loop, which led to different ideas. I was also locked into already fully conceived arrangements so I had to adapt my vocal lines and melodies to fit. It was a lot more challenging than I thought it would be and really pushed me out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways – which is always a good thing to do.
In addition to the different writing style, I also took on a lot of the engineering and production responsibilities for the record. Much more than I ever have in the past and it came with its share of growing pains. I learned a lot. I’ll be eternally grateful to Nick Petersen at Track and Field Studio in NC who helped us with taping our live recordings and replacing the demo versions of other songs with live drums and bass, as well as Will Holland at Chillhouse Studio in Boston who helped us with our mixing and mastering for their expertise, guidance and endless patience. We couldn’t have made it without them.
OSR: Do you believe Hidden Words is an evolution in your sound as compared to Shadow Box?
Rice: Absolutely. Shadow Box was made pretty quickly and while it has its moments, I don’t think it’s the best example of what we can do as a band. A lot more time was spent making Hidden Worlds and it has a lot more depth to it as a record. The songs are more sophisticated and there’s more attention to detail and texture. Vocally, I think it’s the best work I’ve ever done. I really pushed myself to write parts that best served the songs and didn’t just settle on a part that was easier for me to sing. This meant a lot of times they were really hard for me and really pushed my range. Especially a lot of the harmony stuff. There were quite a few F-bombs in between takes. ?
OSR: What are the most exciting and least exciting aspects of being a musician?
Rice: I think the moments when you are in it and creating/writing something brand new out of thin air that didn’t exist before is one of the best feelings on the planet. For me, it’s all about the craft and continuing to learn its deep mysteries and constantly trying to get better at it. The act of creating, especially when you get to do it in a group with friends, is one of the greatest gifts in life. That synergy and telepathic chemistry you develop playing music with people over time is so special and hard to accurately describe. When you get to do it together in front of a crowd, it’s everything.
The worst part is trying to stand out in a never-ending sea of content from other bands/projects. You initially make music for yourself of course, but any musician would be lying if they didn’t want their songs to be heard. And heard by a lot of people! ?
OSR: If you could pursue any career other than a musician, what would it be?
Rice: Does this hypothetical allow me to grow 7 inches and play for the Boston Celtics? I think I would want to work behind the scenes in film/tv. Either as a screenwriter or cinematographer, or maybe a director.
OSR: If you had to binge-watch any TV show, what would it be and why?
Rice: There are only two shows I’ve ever watched in their entirety more than once – The Wire and The Sopranos. Usually, I’m more into comedy. Right now Reservation Dogs, Atlanta and Severance are in the rotation.
OSR: If you could change anything about Hidden Words, what would it be?
Rice: A six-figure promotional budget, radio support and key placements in cool Hollywood projects! No, I think there are always things you wish you could change once a record is done. You second-guess decisions, performances you wish were tighter, mixing you didn’t get quite right, etc. I don’t know any creative types who make art and are truly satisfied with the end product or are “done”. The end product can almost be kind of a letdown because it means the exploring aspect is over. For me, the curiosity and exploring are the biggest payoffs.
OSR: Do you have future plans for Tracksuit?
Rice: World domination! Keep up with our takeover by signing up for our mailing list at https://tracksuitband.com
Many thanks to Brendan Rice for speaking with us. For more from Tracksuit check out their official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
