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Following up several singles and a "live" album to help sustain the anticipation over the years, New York City power pop stalwart Brower will release Flour, his long-awaited sophomore LP and follow-up to 2018's raucous ride of a debut album, Buzzsaws. Doing what he does best, Brower blends glam-glossed power pop with '70s-inspired Beach Boys harmonies, sugary hooks, tough guitars, and melodies that are so crisp and fun to repeat for days. To celebrate the new release, we caught up with Nat to discuss all things related to the new album and how it was benefited by this kind of "slow" practice, where time lends itself to exploration.
Hey Nat! First tell me what you've been up to lately? What have you been listening to, reading, watching, or spending a lot of time doing?
Nat Brower: Hey Joey! I've been spending a lot of time sleeping! And via sleeping, dreaming. As far as watching, reading, or entertainment of any kind, dreams are the best show to watch. And they're free!
For readers who aren't familiar, tell us a little about your background and how you got into playing music?
Well, if we're going way back, I was just a lad… As far as I know, musical ability isn't a dominant trait in my family. My grandparents ran a day-camp in rural Illinois. My grandfather, Bob Brower, knew exactly three chords (C, F, and G), with which he could play many, many folk songs for the kids. He wasn't into showing off, just playing the chords to get the job done, as a vehicle to sing the song. It's a fairly "folk" mentality. I mean, he was pretty punk! My first sight and touch of a guitar (acoustic, nylon-stringed) was his, so he's responsible. My parents aren't musically inclined whatsoever. Somehow me and my brother, Jake Brower, caught a songwriting bug that's hard to trace back—probably camp, maybe even Hebrew school?? It's deeply engrained. We were maybe even born with something forcing us to create. (Jake is an incredible songwriter and artist, if you don't already know—look him up!). As far as my rock 'n' roll beginnings, Jimi Hendrix was my obsession, as I'm sure he was for a few middle schoolers from my generation. It all snowballed from there.
I first found out about you from playing in NANCY. When writing songs, how do you know what's a Brower song and what’s a NANCY song?
Sometimes I don't know the difference, in the initial phase. Most of the time, though, "Nancy songs" are more fun and come easily, in a way where it's like, "oh Joe (Sussman) would like this." Most "Brower songs" are agonized over, built then torn down, reworked ad nauseam. Some songs I might put down for years before coming back to the voice memo, or a half-finished recording, and I'll say, damn, why didn't I finish this? That was the case with last year's single "Confrontation," also track two on the album—I've had the hook since I was basically a teenager! On the other hand, the song "Door" was written and recorded in the same day. That one just flew right out. It might be my favorite on the album.
So how exactly did you meet Josephine, Max, and Josh and what made you want to enlist them for the Brower band?
Let's see, I met them all in different contexts. In chronological order: Max—at school (a music class), where I immediately pegged him and Jack Daves (of Dirty Fences) as the only real rockers in the place. Turns out the three of us were long-lost brothers. Josh—when I got fired from the restaurant I worked at with Jack Daves (above), I got hired at a different place the next day, where Josh was working. We immediately started talking about NRBQ, which sealed our fate, and we began dreaming our way out of the bus-boy industry. Josephine—by another cosmic twist of fate: when she decided to visit the bar I used to work at one day, during my slow happy hour shift. Though we both had never officially met, we instantly professed our deep admiration for one another. Within about five minutes I asked her to quit her band and join my band… and that was that! I didn't so much enlist anyone, it was meant to be.
What exactly is the NYC rock scene like right now? I feel like with bands like Brower, Josephine Network, The Mystery Lights, Tchotchke, and The Lemon Twigs, there's a bit of a likeminded community building up.
I hope so! There are lot of talented and lovely people making great music in NYC right now. It's exciting!
What insight can you share about your upcoming album Flour and how exactly did it all come together in the various NYC apartments you recorded it in?
It was recorded entirely by me. I played every instrument except drums on two of the tracks (Max Hershguy), and all sax by Lee Bones. Yes, sax. I basically started the idea of a full-length thinking it would be amazing to have a really sax-heavy album. It turned out to only be moderately sax-weighted, but that kind of spring-boarded the idea and my approach to most of the songs. And there's keys—almost every track has keys. Like Buzzsaws, it was all recorded on my laptop, either in my apartment, or in the practice space where I can record drums.
How would you describe working on Flour compared to your debut LP Buzzsaws?
Not only is there sax and keys on the record, but most of the songs are more serious than Buzzsaws. Some tracks are about struggling with depression, not getting out of bed, wondering why I'm like this, questioning "it all." I've been through a lot since Buzzsaws, and a lot has changed. Just by the nature of Flour being made in a post-covid reality separates the feelings on the two albums. I've joked that this is my "depression album," and I was conflicted about whether it's too serious. Most people who've heard it disagree. They're like, "What are you talking about?" Which just shows my own heightened insecurity about being vulnerable. I think that held me back in a way, not wanting to show vulnerability, which is silly. It's better to be real. This made the Flour process slower than Buzzsaws, which was mostly just fun and easy and confident. Why do I make stuff if it's not fun to make? I have no idea.
How did your new single "Hard Road" come about and what were the inspirations behind it?
This is a perfect example of what I was talking about before, where I had part of it—the main riff—for a long time. I kept getting stuck not knowing where to go with it, so I stepped away from it. Then one day, all of a sudden, I just built the rest of the parts, abandoning all previous ideas. The song is about touring [laughs]. I kind of wanted to write like a "man-this-sucks" kind of song. I think the message can apply to "hard times" in general.
I also really love the opening cut "Now It's Time (To Get Serious)" especially it's '70s-esque Beach Boys harmonies. What can you tell me about this one?
'70s Beach Boys are deeply engrained in my brain. Sunflower, Surf's Up, Love You, the Carl and the Passions album… I definitely referenced their "I Can Hear Music" cover for ideas. But you know, my song is about existential dread. Not dissimilar from what Brian often conveys, musically at least. That is, I can hear his own existential dread in his music, knowing what we know about him, even though that's not explicit lyrically.
After numerous listens, I think my favorite song is "On The Corner." What's the story behind this one?
Again, something I had on the back-burner for a while! It was written to be a Tommy James rip-off song. It's actually about struggling to find inspiration—you search far and wide for looking for it, but it usually comes when you're not looking. The "her" in the song ("I gotta find her") is really "it." It's like a '60s bubblegum song about cosmic wisdom [laughs]. A lot of inspiration comes from my dreams, including song ideas.
"Under the Table" is another one of my favorites! How did this one come together?
Yeah this one actually just flew right out of me. Could have easily been a Nancy song! It's my Elton Motello rip-off. The guy who's dressed in English leather, with Czech lager in his German boot, is a has-been rock 'n' roller/drunkard who ruled in the old days. Was channeling Elton Motello's "He's A Rebel" mixed with "Get the Guy."
"Door" is also a perfect closing cut to the album. What was it like putting this one together?
Thank you! It's also the last song I wrote out of all these songs, so I felt it just made sense to have it as the closer. I wrote it very quickly. Some songs just appear like that, some don't! Channeling Crenshaw… for me I always try to have a "model." It helps get the ball rolling, and then it's okay when it diverges from the original idea.
I've already asked about some of my favorite tracks, but which song from the record means the most to you (and why)?
Not sure if it means the most to me, but "Door" is my favorite. I just love how it came together so easily, like it was really meant to happen. It all was, but you know what I mean… It's like catching lightning in a bottle even though I'm overdubbing everything [laughs].
How do you feel looking back on your catalog? Do you still like or relate to your past releases?
For the most part, yes! Of course there are always things I wouldn't have made now, but I see them as just a time capsule of who I was and what I was into. Which honestly hasn't changed too much in like 20 years… so maybe that's pretty rare and that's why I still like most of it.
Aside from the new album and tour, what else is on the horizon for Brower, Nancy, or other projects within the year? Can we expect an upcoming tour this year?
Brower is playing a slew of shows in October! We're doing some Midwest shows with the Lemon Twigs (!) and some East Coast shows with The Mummies (!). I'll also be playing with SUO AND Josephine, for a European tour in September!
Thank you for taking your time. Any advice or last words you'd like to share with our readers?
Always leave a note.
Flour is out November 1st on DIG! Records. Check out Brower's upcoming tour dates below.
Sept 8 - Trans Pecos w/ Rixe
Oct 6 - Union Pool w/ Pyrex (NYC), Split System (AUS)
Oct 12 - TV Eye w/ Loosey (NYC), Gee Tee, R.M.F.C. (AUS)
Oct 18 - Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL w/ The Lemon Twigs
Oct 19 - Fine Line, Minneapolis, MN w/ The Lemon Twigs
Oct 21 - Shank Hall, Milwaukee, WI w/ The Lemon Twigs
Oct 25 - TV Eye w/ Nude Beach
Oct 31 - White Eagle Hall, Jersey City, NJ w/ The Mummies
Nov 1 - Underground Arts, Philadelphia, PA w/ The Mummies
Nov 2 - The Black Cat, Washington DC w/ The Mummies
SUO x Josephine—Europe Tour:
Sep 17 - Paris - TBA (help us!)
Sep 18 - Lyon, FR - Groom
Sep 19 - Marseille, FR - L'intermédiaire
Sep 20 - Bayone, FR - Menage a trios
Sep 23 - Barcelona, ES - Sala Upload
Sep 24 - Valencia, ES - 16 toneladas
Sep 25 - Madrid, ES - Wurlitzer Ballroom
Sep 26-28 - Menorca - Cranc Festival