Nationally known for their ability to produce ethereal folk infused with bursts of glaring rock and roll, The Lawsuits have been busy braiding the serene and the riotous since their formation in Philadelphia in 2007. In the ensuing seven years, the band has cultivated and nurtured a sound that is a striking balance of the radiant and the caustic. And by granting themselves the permission to allow that sound to bloom organically, Brian Strouse, Vanessa Winters, Brendan Cunningham, Josh Friedman and Joe Bisirri have articulated their complete disinterest in pursuing things that do not challenge them as band. It is this very need to follow their own compass that has taken them from the soothing ambience of their 2012 Numbers EP, all the way to the sanguine flash of 2013’s Cool Cool Cool.
It was in the midst of recording sessions for Cool Cool Cool, that the Lawsuits gathered at Philadelphia’s famed XPN radio station to record a Key Session. A featured segment of music journalist/disc jockey John Vettese’s radio program, the in-studio live performance raised their profile considerably. One year after the segment originally aired, the Lawsuits announced on their website that they would be performing at 2014’s Xponential music festival. A few days before their appearance, songwriter and vocalist Brian Strouse was eager to discuss the bands evolution and excitement at performing at a major festival
An important component to the Lawsuits sound is the full commitment to a new idea. You began playing and writing in early childhood, which I always think of as being a brief time when we are not yet self-conscious enough to limit our creativity and motivations. Is that where that fearless approach originated?
That’s really well put, wish I had thought of that. I was performing live at open mics with my father at a really early age. I was probably too young to be out so late in such places, but I was, and I experienced what I experienced. All of which most likely helped to shape my ability to see songwriting the way I see it. It may be that a large portion of songwriters don’t pursue a quantity based approach for fear of rejection – They end up taking too long on specific ideas, getting too stuck in their ways, and putting too much stock into that which is a dime a dozen: A song. The reality is: most people don’t like your music. So, what does it matter anyway? It should also be noted: 7 billion people exist in the world… good chance that a whole bunch of them would like the product you’re selling. The key is figuring out how to expose them to it.
You started writing music at age twelve. Do you ever find yourself revisiting songs from the past and reshaping them for the present?
Not really. An old song to a songwriter is like old lettuce to a chef.
George Harrison once said that when he wrote “Something,” he pictured Ray Charles singing it and Paul McCartney has stated that on “Here, There and Everywhere,” he was trying to sing like Marianne Faithful. Are you ever conscious of any direct influence during the songwriting process and is it something that you embrace?
I can’t help but write what I write. Can’t be anybody else. I was never really able to force myself to smile. Some people find that endearing about me, others mistake my shyness for arrogance. I suppose I could change my approach. Maybe I’ll do that for the next record.
Your music incorporates a wide range of genres. Is this due to changes in taste or what type of sound the song calls for?
Musical taste is temporary. We’ve maintained the desire to stay as different as we can, from the last album to the next, from the first song to the last.
Can you point to a specific moment when you knew the Lawsuits sound had come together?
There was a moment when the producer of the Cool Cool Cool record, Bill Moriarty, and I were sitting in the control room listening to “Onion”. I had always wanted to record a song like that. Assuming our sound has come together, that’d be the moment for me.
Any sound effects used on Cool Cool Cool are done with a delicate touch so that they enhance a song rather than overwhelm it. How difficult is it to strike that balance and how do you know when you have the right sound?
I appreciate the kind words. We’ve tried to use sound effects as delicately as possible in just the way you said. I’ve never really gotten off on drenching a song in reverb or whatever else. On the other hand, we really like cool sounds, but we try and have the song before we start screwing it up.
Cool Cool Cool is more experimental and ambitious than the groups earlier recordings. Has the new material changed your approach to composing?
It’s a balance between going too weird and too boring. The too weird seems like you’re trying too much, and the too boring has been done so many times that it’s kind of like stealing.
Has the new material forced alterations to the bands live show?
We’ve had to invest in a Drum Sampling Machine to get some of the sounds from Cool Cool Cool, and a vocal harmonizer pedal to get close to the aesthetic that we made in the studio. Also, our guitarist/piano player has a ton of pedals to make all kinds of cool sounds.
Albums don’t get made overnight. How do you maintain the spontaneity of the music and the energy of the recordings when you’ve been with the material for so long?
I try to get the foundations of songs recorded and out of my head and off to the band for them to add their brilliance.
What was it like to hear the band on the radio for the first time?
John Vettese played our Key Session for the local show. I believe that was the first time I heard us on the radio. I listened with my fiancé and father. It was a great feeling.
2014’s Xponential Fest will be the band’s first appearance at the music festival. Does it feel like a milestone?
Certainly, it’s a great honor for us to be a part of the festival. The general feeling from our camp is to yearn for more and more. We’re trying hard to produce quality music for those that support us by purchasing the albums, and trying hard to put on the best live show that we can for those that pay money to see us.
What album would people be most surprised to learn is in your record collection?
Not really sure. I have some odd things I guess. My first CD was Wings Greatest Hits. As for the most surprising thing I have: Maybe some Sade.
Don’t forget to see the Lawsuits live in Camden, NJ on July 27th at XPN’s Xponential Festival
Article by: Caitlin Phillips
