The Lunar Laugh is a pop band based in Oklahoma City. At the group’s core is the singer/songwriter trio of Connor Anderson, Jared Lekites, and Campbell Young backed by Jimmy Jackson’s powerful drumming. Their music draws inspiration from the classic pop masterworks of the 60’s and 70’s, with fully realized arrangements and lush harmonies in the foreground.  “Goodnight Noises Everywhere” is their third album (and Kool Kat Musik label debut).

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Jared Lekites explains.

For every song, you record, how many end up in the bin?

 

We tend to have a lot more written than we eventually record. On this particular album, we had about 25 contenders that we narrowed down to about 14 to record which we then had to narrow down to just 10.

 

With every song you write, are you still learning to become an even better songwriter?

 

I think we are always trying to better ourselves as writers but we also approach each song as something new. I mainly try to focus on creating something I am proud of and something that means a lot to me.

 

 

As an artist, you chose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?

 

I sometimes find some things a little embarrassing, especially if one of the other guys also has to sing or harmonize on a particular line that I feel is pretty personal and close to me. But the other guys are also pretty reassuring and they never object to anything I bring to them.

 

Is recording a record easier than getting it heard nowadays?

 

It can be a struggle to do either depending on what you’re going for and who you’re trying to please. You can spend a fortune on creating music that maybe only 5 people will ever know exists. Sometimes you just have to not think too much about that. We are making the music for ourselves mostly and it’s certainly rewarding if anyone else listens and enjoys it. But I try not to get too hung up on “getting heard”. Once the album is out there, it’s there.

 

Recording music. What’s all the fun about?

 

We had a ball making this album as a band. We would lay down simple foundations to start and then just see what we could find laying around the studio that might work. On “Another Casualty” for instance, we scavenged around trying to find some different percussion sounds. We tooled around hitting a cowbell with different types of mallets and sticks and using different microphone placements on shakers and maracas to get a combination of sounds we thought were cool. Then as we were looking around, we stumbled upon these roto-toms that were just shoved in a corner of the studio. The light bulb went off in our heads and we had our drummer Jimmy record this amazing sounding drum fills with them. Those fills absolutely take the song to a new level. So all the fun is really in trying new things and creating a world for the songs to live in.

 

Playing music in front of a crowd. What’s all the fun about?

 

The energy of the audience and the sort of ‘feeding frenzy’ feel you can get out of it. When you give your all from the stage, and they send it right back to you with their applause and their yells, it’s an amazing feeling. I’ve heard some musicians compare it to really intense sex which makes a lot of sense to me because a good show should have that kind of arc; passionate and a hell of a mutual climax at the end.

 

Always proud to answer ‘I am a musician’ to the question ‘what are you doing?’?

 

Most people are pretty impressed or at least intrigued with that answer. It’s more interesting than saying “I’m self-employed” or “I’m between jobs”.

 

You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?

 

Well, I would always like to point out the things I always listen for in music which is things like chord changes, harmonies, and melodic structure. Those are typically what musician-types or songwriters like to listen for. On this new album, I’d like people to be able to hear the way Connor, Campbell and myself are layering our voices around each other and the way certain vocal lines are ping-ponging along. I think we carved out something with our vocal work that sets us apart, as you say.

The L.A.-based solo project Sofa City Sweetheart is the centerpiece around which (Juan Antonio) Lopez shapes his masterworks. Writing, arranging, recording, and engineering all the music himself, Lopez tangles together his spectrum of childhood influences into stories of acceptance. Over layers of gentle guitar sit toe-tapping melodies and intermingling harmonies that merge art and feeling, spinning stories that tie the persistent tragedies in his own life to the stuck-to-it-iveness that’s often required in any contemporary artist.

Buy/Listen here 

 

 

 

 

Sweet Sweet Music talked to Juan about his new release ‘Super​(​b) Exitos’.

 

For every song you record, how many end up in the bin?

WAY too many. But the bin is more of a “to do” bin instead of a trash bin (or do you guys say “rubbish” over there?) Most of them are just unfinished, or need better/completed lyrics and are waiting for their day to shine. There are literally hundreds!

 

As an artist, you chose to show your emotions to the world. Is it always comfortable to do so?

It’s kind of funny, because I am a naturally shy and private person that doesn’t always like to reveal too much or be the center of attention. But this is essentially what I’m doing when I perform and release my music to the world. It’s a strange dynamic, but I think I feel most comfortable expressing myself through music. You can feel it more when the words and feelings are delivered with a soundtrack.

 

 

Any ideas about how to turn this one into a million seller?

If I knew that, I’d be flying in my solid gold spaceship right now. Maybe legally changing my name to “Adele”?

Honestly, I think my music tends to be most popular with musicians and other music/songwriting nerds (of which I am proud of!) so I’m not sure if I will ever have a mega platinum hit. (But maybe if enough nerds come together and form a union I can start making payments on that spaceship!)

Recording music. What’s all the fun about?

I always say that writing songs is the closest I’ll ever get to giving birth. And recording is where you get to see the song “grow up”. This is where the greatest magic happens. It’s important for me to not only write a great chord progression and melody, but to write all of the other parts that add to the song and make it more beautiful and powerful. Countermelodies, bass lines, guitar parts, harmonies, etc… That’s the fun stuff! Only when the song has grown up is it ready to go out into the world.

You can’t control the way people ‘hear’ your music. But if you could make them aware of certain aspects, you think, set your songs apart. What would they be?

Maybe just exactly how much work I put into every single aspect of my songs. From the writing, to recording, producing, and mixing… I spend a lot of time at every step. I’m basically a mad scientist in the studio and try everything I can to make the song come out just right. Then eventually, one day, lightning strikes and… IT’S ALIVE!