Quilt, the band, not the blanket, released their third studio album Plaza last month. Along with their new album, this quirky trio released a commentary album, which you can find on Spotify. Bandmembers Anna Fox Rochinski, Shane Butler and John Andrews talk about the meaning/influences of each song on Plaza, giving a rare insight into their creative processes. So far, “Roller” is my favorite track of the album. The music video (see above), like Quilt’s music, is both fascinating and puzzling.
If you’re unfamiliar with Quilt, they’re a psychedelic indie rock band which formed in Boston back in 2009 (though they consider themselves a New York-based band.) The band tours in a Chevy Express Passenger van fondly named “Big Earl.” Quilt produces an experimental blend of dream pop and 60s psychedelic rock (think Jefferson Airplane). I can see some similarities with groups like The Flaming Lips and Yo La Tengo, but Quilt is decidedly unique. Their lyrics are odd and creative and maybe don’t make a lot of sense but they seem really deep. Nonsensical lyrics are also scientifically proven to be the most fun to sing along to. Quilt’s sound hasn’t changed too much since their previous album Held in Splendor – which is good (I liked that one a lot). Definitely check out some earlier tunes such as “The Hollow,” “Tie Up the Tides” and “The Eye of the Pearl.”
Plaza is a solid album overall. But for those of us who are short on time and motivation, here’s a list of my top 5 songs on the album (in no particular order):
Roller
The clear single on the album, also the most upbeat tune. I may like this song because I enjoy sarcastically calling people “honey.”
“How can you believe, that everyone you meet is just here to entertain you? But honey, you’ve been at my throat about it”
Searching For
This is the quintessential Quilt song. There’s a lot of repetition but the instrumentation keeps it from being boring.
“She can’t remember when, she felt her own age, she didn’t need to live, on her own stage”
Hissing My Plea
Sassy and surprisingly danceable.
“The imitations of their complaints, impersonating what we have tamed, and yet we’re drowning everything in our way”
Something There
‘Something There’ has a comforting familiarity to it. It sounds like something you would hear around a campfire at a youth group retreat.
“And if you are loving, she’s loving, and if you are breathing, she’s breathing, and if you are grieving, she’s grieving, and if you are leaving, she’s leaving, she’s leaving, she’s leaving, she’s leaving”
Padova
This song made the list just for the intro; it’s short but sweet and draws you in right away. Probably the most under-appreciated song on the album, based on the number of play on Spotify.
“And if I try hard to know you, how will I know that I know my own name?”
But seriously, just listen to the full album below:
http://%20https://open.spotify.com/album/1NGgGEy69J3rMmVDAh2jfO