While listening to San Juan, P.R. raised/NYC based band Suturee, I realized that I might have found my theme music for the post-nuclear winter. With nods to Nico and the Velvet Underground, Suturee is vintage dream-pop and a brilliantly executed soundtrack to a foggy afternoon. Their debut album sticks close to a kind of retro balladry and instrumental density that sneak into your consciousness before you even realize it. There is something to Suturee’s music that defies time and makes you sit up and listen. These are the future soundtracks to love, despair and ultimately, hope.
Band members Julian Brau (Guasp, The Deep Sea Ensemble, Thee Locked Room) and Rebecca Adorno (Lalia, Parasolar) swung by the Kata Rokkar to answer this week’s Kuestionnaire. How nice of them!
1. Of all the bands/artists in your CD/record collection, which one is your most cherished?
Julian Brau: Smog always sounds good to me.
Rebecca Adorno: Unfair question…I pass
2. What have you been listening to lately?
R: I’ve been listening Robin Guthrie’s “Continental”, Radar Bros. “Auditorium”, Peter Broderick’s “Home”, Lush’s “Spooky”, Neil Halstead’s “Oh! Mighty Engine”, Jaime sin Tierra’s “Autochocador”, Tristeza’s “Dream signals in full circles” among others.
J: Thee Oh Sees – “Help”, Bill Callahan – “Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle”, Glen Johnson – “Details Not Recorded”, Pan American – “White Bird Release”
3. What’s your favorite local band?
R: uhh [...]
J: Angels of Light are pretty intense and Bell is fun.
4. What was the last show you attended?
J: Cave Singers and The Antlers at the Mercury Lounge.
R: Neil Halstead
5. What was the greatest show you’ve ever been to?
R: Can I mention two shows? I will: My Bloody Valentine and Swervedriver last summer
J: Two nights of Swervedriver, simply amazing!
6. What show are you looking forward to?
J: Doves, Crooked Fingers, Bill Callahan
7. What musician would you like to hang out/work with for a day?
J: Leonard Cohen
R: Kevin Shields or Neil Halstead…either one of them or both!
8. What four albums you would bring to a deserted island?
R: This is not fair at all…
Songs in A&E, Just for a Day, Takk, Loveless
I feel really bad because I like so many but I think those would be good albums to listen to if you’re about to die slowly, you know being on the deserted island and all.
J: Piano Magic – ”Low Birth Weight”, Idaho – “Alas”, Spiritualized “Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space”, Smog – ”Knock Knock”
9. Would you call yourself a music geek?
R: No, but I feel musical every other day.
J: Sure, most of my time is spent listening, writing or recording music, can’t get away from it.
10. Any favorite music-related videos/DVDs you own?
J: Nick Cave – “God is in the House” – great live performances and a short documentary on the making of ”No More Shall We Part” which just happens to be my favorite of his albums.
R: I like the Galaxie 500 – “Don’t Let Our Youth Go To Waste” and “If I Should Fall from Grace – The Shane MacGowan Story”…a friend lent us that last one.
11. What’s the last book you read?
R: The Road
J: Las Intermitencias de la Muerte by José Saramago
12. Do you prefer live performances or recording in the studio?
J: Definitely recording. That is my domain. I love writing in the studio and spending whole days locked away being creative.
R: I like live performances because it’s like creating a cozy environment for strangers. Then the studio is different, you have that warmth all for yourself and the few people there.
13. Any embarrassing moments on stage you’d like to share?
R: Oh yes that show we played in MONO. We had three guitars but it sounded like we only had one and the vocals sounded pretty weird too.
J: Same as above!
14. Any favorite tour locations?
J: San Juan of course.
R: A tour would be nice…
15. Lastly, what have you done today?
R: So far I’ve worked on a circuit, edited a video and hopefully I’ll have a beer later =-).
J: Work!
Suturee – Afraid of Hands
Suturee – Name Remains
Angels of Light – Untitled Love Song