As we get older, Bostonist finds it harder and harder to engage generally with the popular culture and keep up with the music the young kids are listening to in particular. It's not that we don't like the music - we do - it's just that we're generally too lazy/busy/without a babysitter to go out to shows, which is really (as we remember from our single days) the best way to discover new bands. Luckily, we had the good fortune of going to law school with someone who would eventually marry someone who would eventually become one half of the local duo Crystal Understanding. This gets us inside information, free CDs, and easy access to the band, who are playing at the Paradise Lounge tomorrow night at 9:00 with Shy Child. (Also, we think they sound pretty good.) Hence, the following interview.
First, the basics. Who are you, where are you from, where do you currently reside, and what are your day jobs (if any)?
We are Aaron Bennett and Sonya Sheats. Aaron is from Delaware, Sonya
from France and Virginia. We both currently reside in Cambridge, and we are both art teachers.
Sonya's husband calls your sound electronic and pop. You have also been referred to as "a trippy techno outfit." My though was something more like They Might Be Giants + Talking Heads + um, Patsy Cline on a computer. How would you describe your sound?
[Sonya] Eww to that description.
[Aaron] I suppose we describe ourselves as computer-based pop music. [Sonya] Other people like to throw in words like "avant-garde" and "electronic."
[Aaron] Sonya won't stand for "experimental."
[Sonya] I hate that description. I used to make fun of a friend of mine for using it to describe his sounds.
[Aaron] I guess it just describes the part where we bang on sticks.
Photo courtesy of Brandon Constant
Wait - Sonya, are you opposed to "experimental" because your sound isn't experimental, or because it sounds to fancy-shmancy and intellectual?
[Sonya] No, I suppose it is somewhat "experimental." I just wonder what that means most of the time it's used. It sure is playful. If we use experimental as a classification, I feel like we'd excuse ourselves from just being sincere. I'd rather be open to hear what
happens when we play and try new things, and be open to what people have to say about it. I just don't like the sound of the term because I don't understand it and it doesn't mean anything real to me. Aaron does't mind it, so we'll just go with it.
I know Sonya, and not so long ago she was just an ordinary schoolteacher/ bookbinder. Then I turned my head for a minute and the next thing I knew she was in this band, doing shows in New York and at TT the Bears (with the delightfully named Thunderbirds are Now!, no
less). How did this band get up and running all of a sudden?
[Aaron] first of all, Sonya is an extraodinary teacher and an extraordinary bookbinder. But the band got up and
running when I found a shareware progrm that let you rearrange pre-recordeed samples. I made the song "Timmy and Tammy" when I was living in Brooklyn, which I played for my friend Jesse. He made a video and then this guy in Germany, who runs werocklikecrazy.com records wanted to put it out as a German dance club 12" remix project, which still hasn't come out.
[Sonya] It should, it will. It's funny, but it also has a really really good remix by our friend Jacob Ciocci from Paperrad, ROTFLOL, and the Extreme Animals.
[Aaron] ...but I never performed in Brooklyn. Um, then I moved to Cambrige where I found this great practice space with with my friend Sonia Brenner, a member of the Squids, called 440R.
[Sonya] Sometimes known as Compound 440. There's tons of good bands in that space like UV Protection, Bid Digits, the Squids, Plunge into Death.
[Aaron]when I got to the space, I plugged my cd player into the PA system. So I played once by myself at Zuzu's, and it didn't feel right. And since I'd been planning on making a band with Sonya, I asked her if she wanted to join in on the Crystal Understanding
project. Since she joined, we've added all of the non-computer stuff like keyboards, shakers, strobes,
[Sonya] And dancing. And the red tambourine.
440 is the place next door to Market Basket, right?
[Sonya] Yes, it is. It's great- easy access to water and snacks.
So it's not all electronic music at this point. But given that it's still mostly electronic, and people can hear your tracks at your myspace site, what makes your shows worth going to (since there's no musical instrument mastery to be witnessed)?
[Sonya] Hey there is something worth witnessing!
[Aaron] Plus, as Jesse put it, if Jay-Z can do it, why can't we. Plus we have banners you'd pay money to see.
[Sonya] And dancing.
[Aaron] The songs we've written since Sonya joined are increasingly no-dependent on computer elements.
[Sonya] It is definately not all electronic or computer generated. We play keyboards live over the prerecorded sounds. We run our Casio SK-1 through a distortion pedal and use a circuit bent keyboard in the mix with others. Sometimes we start a song by working out the lyrics acapella, and then write the music afterwards. The other thing is that our recorded songs are limited and thin. We add a lot more layers
to those songs when we play them live.
[Aaron] The other thing that you'd miss if you never saw us play is the dynamic part of being a duo.
[Sonya] We have a lot of fun, and I think this translates well visually.
What's the big plan? Records? Tours? Guest spots by Kanye West?
[Sonya] The plan is to spend the next few weeks working on new songs for a new album entitled HOLD THE GEM, inspired by one of my amazing second grade students. We are also hoping to put togehther a mini tour this summer, hitting hot spots around the northeast.
[Aaron] We also got plans for a tour in France next summer touring medieval churches and irish pubs and balconies.
[Sonya] That's how they do it in France, that's how the underground does it. Another exciting part of the plan is that we're also trying to make some videos, right away.
Are you going to get a big-time record contract and become superstars and forget about the little people (like Bostonist), or is "Hold the Gem" going to be an independent, underground, keeping-it-street kind of joint?
[Sonya] No, we have just been recording ourselves, and at this moment, are trying to connect with another 440R friend to help us record and make the album happen and sound even better. We keep it small and do it ourselves- that's our way. Just look at our outfits, our banners, are posters, our EP covers....
Will you really let Bostonist do a freestyle rap on one of your tracks, as Sonya has promised, or was that just an inducement to get us to run this interview?
[Sonya] Yes to both. I like incentives, but I also like the idea of you adding to a new song. Maybe some beatboxing, and I even have something in mind for that.
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