Helmed by songwriter Karly Hartzman, Wednesday has evolved from an Asheville, NC solo project to a full-fledged band with five albums to their name. On them, Hartzman’s voice careens from a near yodel to a clear scream, sometimes within the span of a single song, melodic riffs periodically punching through. And lyrically, their latest Rat Saw God continues to embody that Southern smaller-town spirit, weaving in hometown references and encapsulating the teenage sweet spot of horror-meets-ennui specific to the band’s origin point. It’s music full of haunted spaces: Gothic, but not in the sense of black lace and The Cramps; warmer, more like a red hoodie and some Drive By Truckers.
Category: The AD Interview
On the Duo Format (An Interview Series) :: Steve Gunn, Rick Brown, and Jim White (Pt.1)
Steve Gunn, Rick Brown (75 Dollar Bill) and drummer Jim White join Aquarium Drunkard to discuss the lasting appeal of the two-piece band in improv and experimental music.
Arnold Dreyblatt :: The Aquarium Drunkad Interview
Maverick composer Arnold Dreyblatt joins us from his Berlin home base to discuss his visual art background, collaborating with Megafaun and Jim O’Rourke, the enduring rhythms of Bo Diddley, and his latest album, Resolve.
Lance Bangs on The Elephant 6 Recording Co.
In 2019, director Chad Stockfleth released a lo-fi, VHS-only documentary A Future History Of: The Elephant 6 Recording Co. Following that limited rollout, documentarian Lange Bangs—whose footage was used extensively in the film—came onboard with the folks behind 2020’s Other Music doc, producer Rob Hatch-Miller and editor/producer Greg King, to streamline and expand the documentary. The resulting film, now titled The Elephant 6 Recording Co., sees official release on today. Bangs joins us to reflect on the Elephant 6 scene.
Anohni :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
Anohni has been making transcendent, unearthly music for more than two decades now. Her latest album, My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross, is perhaps her best yet, mining a rich vein of classic soul to deliver impassioned lyrics about love, gender identity, intergenerational connection, and the climate crisis. She joins us to discuss resilience, soul, and the role of an artist in our damaged culture.
Sam Burton :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
Los Angeles singer/songwriter Sam Burton isn’t trying to “reinvent the wheel” with his sophomore album, Dear Departed. Crafted in collaboration with Jonathan Wilson (Margo Price, Angel Olsen, Father John Misty) in Laurel Canyon, the album incorporates familiar and trusted elements—think Nick Drake at his most windswept, Leonard Cohen in a slightly sweeter mood, or a less rhinestoned Glen Campbell—but Burton presents his own vision. He joined us to discuss teaming up with Wilson, his roots in rural Utah, and finding a newfound appreciation for the ’90s pop country he grew up hearing.
Catching Up With Taper’s Choice
We last checked in with Taper’s Choice days before their first annual “Choice Fest” here in Los Angeles. Now, on the eve of the eagerly anticipated second annual event [Choice Fest, August 5th at Spoke Bicycle Cafe in Los Angeles], we reached out to the band to chart how things have grown and expanded, both in terms of fans and for themselves.
Steven Bernstein (Sexmob) :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
Trumpeter Steve Bernstein joins us to discuss the electronically processed jazz of Sexmob’s The Hard Way and share wild stories of working with legends like Lou Reed, how he helped prep the Sun Ra Arkestra to appear on-stage with U2, and tell us about the one time he had to tell Hal Willner “no.”
Sonhos Secretos :: In Conversation With Producer Tee Cardaci
From the rare and obscure to the unknown, producer Tee Cardaci mines eleven genre-spanning gems produced during the waning days of Brazil’s military dictatorship, recorded by a new emerging class of artists operating outside of the major label system. Set to release August 4th, via AD and Org Music, we asked Brazilian music authority Allen Thayer to catch up with Cardaci in regards to the three year process it took to make the Sonhos Secretos compilation a reality…
Calling From Elsewhere :: Hayden Pedigo on The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored
With The Happiest Times I Ever Ignored, Texas guitarist Hayden Pedigo wordlessly shares stories of fate and sustaining hope. A meticulous and detailed player, he’s spent the last decade refining and shaping his sound, pushing for ultimate clarity of expression. But just give that cover painting by Jonathan Phillips a good look: Pedigo is just as interested in stoking creative impulses that align him with his comedic heroes—here’s a guitarist who borrows from Harmony Korine nearly as much as John Fahey and names albums after quotes by National Lampoon co-founder Doug Kenney. Pedigo joins us to discuss bringing the unexpected into his work.
Dave Schools :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
Now in their 37th year as a working outfit, we connected with founding member and bassist Dave Schools from his home in northern California to discuss the evolution of Widespread Panic, the early influence of Athens, GA, collaborations, their DIY approach, touring, mentors and beyond.
Catching Up With M. Ward
“I’m not a scientist, so I don’t exactly understand how radio waves are sent through the air. But as a kid, it was magic.” M. Ward joins us to discuss Supernatural Thing, Elvis, his collaborative process, the influence of Howe Gelb of Giant Sand, and more.
The Clientele :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
The Clientele has been constructing gorgeous, buoyant psychedelic pop for more than three decades now, distilling the languid beauty of a late summer afternoon into whispery gems that hide surprising complications.Yet there has always been more to the Clientele’s art than wistful elegance, and never more so than I Am Not There Anymore, the band’s ninth full-length.
Stewart Copeland :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
Stewart Copeland speaks with Chris Schlarb about the derangement of The Police, film composing, and why he can’t wait to get done with the interview.
Youth Lagoon :: The Aquarium Drunkard Interview
With Heaven Is a Junkyard, Trevor Powers returns to the Youth Lagoon banner. Crafted with producer Rodaidh McDonald (The xx, Adele, Gil Scott-Heron) after period of medical strife that robbed Powers of his ability to sing his signature lilt—thankfully only temporarily—the album finds Powers at his most generous and adventurous.