Modern indie rock’s love for post-punk will never die. The sounds of driving 4/4 drums, jangly guitars, and melancholic lyrics are as pervasive in 2013 as they were in 1982, when (the now notorious) Morrissey moaned his first verse. Post-punk’s enduring nature can be observed in bands like Smith Westerns, Tokyo Police Club, and Surfer Blood who work within narrow stylistic confines while still entertaining a contemporary crowd.
Drowners, a recent addition to the modern post-punk club (and the Frenchkiss roster), are fronted by songwriter Matthew Hitt. Hitt’s delivery, which lies somewhere between Paul Westerberg’s earnestness and the ferocity of Julian Casablancas, has a agreeable quality that pairs well with the group’s catchy sound.
Drowners are set to open for Foals at High Noon Saloon next Wednesday, July 31. We spoke to Matthew Hitt via e-mail in advance of the show.
You got a record deal with Frenchkiss fairly quickly and I’m sure it was an exciting process. What has been the strangest moment yet?
“Yeah, it was under a year since we started the band but we were very proactive during that time. We recorded the demos that got us signed around 2 months after forming. The strangest moment for me was hearing the record we just finished for the first time. Finally having a document of all the work we’ve done in the last year was an odd but great feeling.”
It seems people like to reference the ’90s in describing your sound. Do you agree? How do you label yourselves?
“I’d go about 15 years earlier. In terms of our influences, a lot of post-punk bands are our bonding ground as a band.”
Your songs seem to touch on personal topics (love, youth, etc.) as opposed to vague abstractions. What experiences do you draw from when writing lyrics?
“Sometimes actual events, sometimes not. I try to write a lot about a small particulars of a situation.”
For a band just starting out, what is Drowners’ top goal? Anything from playing MSG to getting free beer is game.
“Letterman.”
What does New York City mean to you and how has it shaped your music?
“It’s where we all live and so being part of the flux of the city is how we live. Finding ways to fit in to everything that goes on around us and trying to keep our head above the water is probably always on our minds.”