After seeing the all-female trio, Architecture, live at the Chicago Mixtape show last weekend, TVD-CHI fell in love with their nostalgic psychedelic/pop sound. Since I’ve been spinning the debut record, When We Were Young, almost exclusively since the show, I thought that I would spread the good vibes and giveaway a copy of the album on vinyl.
The album was written and recorded by Rebecca Scott and Melissa Harris, and they have since added bassist Erin Dorr to the lineup. While the record consists solely of electronic drums, Architecture utilized live drums for a few songs during their powerful set. I was able to catch up with vocalist and guitarist, Rebecca, after the show for a brief chat about the band and the incredible record.
What time period(s) do you look to for inspiration?
The ‘90s a lot, actually. I feel like the ‘90s were a time when women were really bad-ass, then Britney Spears killed it all. Now it’s come back, and personally, I draw a lot of inspiration from the bad-ass women from the ‘90s.
What’s your songwriting process like?
Melissa and I write most of the songs, and we talk about what specific emotions we are going to try to evoke. Then we talk about specific experiences, and try to set a tone. We just have a sense of what the mood is, and we try to make it happen.
Why the decision to add a bassist after the LP was recorded with just you and Melissa?
There is bass on the record, and as we were recording we realized how essential it is. You need bass, you need that groove, and we were like, “we need this live.” We realized that it was crucial to the sound.
Are live drums something that you are looking to moving forward or are you going to continue with the electronic drums?
We’re not entirely sure, we’re still in between. We like the electronic, and that is part of our sound, because we program all of the drums, but we also like the freedom live of having the acoustic drums. It’s sort of up in the air right now.
Track-listing:
The Chant
In the Morning
I’m With You
Paper to Ashes
Tomorrow
Empty Bones
For a chance to win a vinyl copy of Architectures When We Were Young, simply share with us in the comments to this post the modern record that gives you a sense of nostalgia. I’m going to go with Gold Motel’s Summer House; it never fails to bring out the ’60s “flower power” rock in me.
Please remember, only those of you with mailing addresses in the continental US can enter! The winner will be chosen on Friday (2/24).
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Photo by Cara Patricia Higgins
