So, the big day is almost here ... the release of a new album from NYC pop/rock trio Breaking Laces this Thursday at Rockwood. A while back we chatted to lead singer Billy to get the basic scoop. This time, it's the turn of drummer Seth to shed a bit more light on the release and immediate plans. He also has a bit of explaining to do ...
Indie Sounds: You were originally looking to do this release party in April. Then it got delayed after you went to Austin for SXSW. What happened there? Did you mess with Texas?
Seth Masarsky: Apparently, you don't mess with Texas. Ever. What started as a very fruitful ass kicking of SXSW ended with some horrible breaks to my wrists. Freakin both of them!
Since you've known us for a bit, I'll give you the real exclusive. It was a Texas-aided alien abduction funded by disgruntled music executives. Really. Austin just couldn't take our rockitutude and I was beamed up to a spaceship from right in the middle of 6th Street for what I was told was "experimentation." They wanted to see how I could harness musical power and finesse so easily at the same time and deemed it was from the way I used my wrists.
In the ship's studio, I was examined and I actually beat one of their alien drummers in a power struggle. So, they knocked me out and broke both my wrists to watch how I dealt with it and how I would recover, I suppose in an attempt to build a better alien drummer.
Little do they know that I stole a memory chip from their super-computer and come summer tour I plan to blow up the ship. The band decided revenge is indeed best served cold, so we delayed the release a month so we could get all the stars aligned to actually put ourselves in a position to really kick the lid off those nasty alien suckers. Most believe it was a blessing. Timing is everything right?
IS: Thank you for that detailed account. It's always good to get the facts first hand (excuse the pun). But are you now fully recovered? Back to banging those skins to their fullest?
Seth: Uggg, I'm getting there, but it's going to take some time to be full on. I broke the absolute worst bone I could as a drummer. Like good athletes, we want to play as soon as possible, and I have that mentality. Get out and go. Screw the pain ... the show must go on. However, the doctors and management have preached patience as I have to think long term and about my ability to play for years and years. A setback would be even worse than the initial break, especially since the injury gave us some much needed time to really put together a good tour and release.
So, I'm waiting for that final x-ray that tells me I'm healed enough to play with abandon. It should come in a few days. I've been rehabbing, stretching and doing some light playing. Jazzericising for now and just keeping my head together as my bones heal. I must say, I really like physical rehab. God bless those people.
IS: They say masturbating is good rehab too. Well, that's what Rob says. Anyways ... finally, the CD release is this week. What are you planning for the show musically?
Seth: I wondered why Rob was doing rehab too. I thought it was to give me encouragement. The CD ... yes, finally. We have a bunch of press and radio events going on and we will do that whole thing as well as a release party at the Rockwood Music Hall. The show is more of a celebration than anything and a new chapter of sorts. The next 30 plus dates are really the CD release in a sense.
Musically, we have some great new songs, which we'd like to debut so we are going to look into that. If it doesn't come at the Rockwood it will come on tour. As far as plans, we really want to continue to up the ante on the live show, to keep things fresh for ourselves, our fan base and all the new people that will come round. We are an indie-pop band but we take pride in never playing the same show twice and being able to give that surprise to the audience.
However, the next few days will dictate my fate for the actual release and Boston and Philly to follow. We may have a fill in drummer, we may go in a different direction to a point. I don't know yet. I can say that whatever happens it will be a lot of heart and a lot of fun. CD release or not, it's still a show, so we are going to entertain and put our hearts on our sleeves and be what we are in the moment. We'll definitely play songs from the new album though ... that would make sense right?
IS: Yep, that makes some sense. So speaking of the the new album ... it's been through a few iterations, including the very late addition of the title track - When You Find Out! That was a bit different. Are you finally done with it?
Seth: Yeah, it's in the can. We had an album wrapped and ready to go a while back, but simply, we were building a team that we thought could really help us spread the love and gospel and it took time to find the right cogs to do that. During that period, we saw an opportunity to write and record more, so we did. The fact that we added and dropped songs has more to do with that fact than any indecisiveness about song selection per se or any major worries about the quality of the album.
The addition of the title track "after the fact" is so typical of us and one of the quirky things I like most about the band. It's like when we released the album Lemonade, we wrote a song and then a reprise of it. After recording, we liked the reprise much better, so we just kept that and kept the name Reprise, when in was really a reprise of nothing at that point.
When You Find Out is one of those funny things too. The title was named before the final version was recorded. To me at least, it references an inner belief that there is a lot more to us than can be described in your typical one sheet. That and there is a part of us that if given the chance, could appeal in a very broad way, and I really mean lofty. We've had success as indie darlings but still remain a nice little secret. Ironically, the song itself has nothing to do with that at all and was actually written for other purposes. But it was one of those that just kept on ringing in our heads, so we recorded it at the 11th hour and put it on there.
IS: Now for a group question ... what for each of you is your favorite song on the album?
Seth: I'm going with the first song, What We Need. To me, it has a little of everything the Laces are about ... acoustic, electric, electronic, blended vocal harmonies, great lyrics and a lot of torque. After it was done, it actually hit me lyrically in a way I could relate to as a person, not a band member. I felt like it was describing a part of my life at the time and I would venture that others could feel the same way. Musically, it's got many layers that are both simple and complex. There is a lot going on in a neat arrangement. It's one of those tunes where after playing it a million times live, you forget how good it really is and one of those songs that might take a few listens to really hit folks as well. That's cool.
Billy: Don't make me choose between my children, you bastard! OK, then ... We Can Be Great. Shhhh. Don't tell the others.
Rob: When You Find Out, because honestly, when we went to record it, I was still in the place where I wasn’t sure this song was going to work on the album. We were still trying to find out exactly how to make it work live. At that point, it was a good song, but not quite there yet. And it was a quick studio session, so I didn’t have much expectation. I couldn’t have been more wrong. The song is stellar in my opinion, and one of the highlights of the album.
IS: You're all wrong. Here To Stay is the standout track, and my favorite. But to finish, it looks like you're off on tour now ... gonna keep out of trouble this time?
Seth: Yup, tour time. One of our most coordinated, ambitious road endeavors in a while. As for trouble ... you know what Pete ... I can't say that I am, because I always try to and something happens. I'm just going to take it as it comes and enjoy it.
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