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CartReptar Talk "Body Faucet"
Tue, 29 May 2012 07:38:52
"We didn't want to make a boring record," declares Reptar drummer Andrew McFarland.
Body Faucet is the farthest thing from boring. In fact, it's one of the most intriguing, indescribable, and irresistible offerings of the year. Whether it's the skittering falsetto plea of "Please Don't Kill Me" or the whacky and sultry shake of "Houseboat Babies", Reptar keep the listener guessing. Body Faucet remains everything alternative music should be and so much more.
In this exclusive interview, Reptar skinsman Andrew McFarland talks turning Body Faucet on and a lot more.
Did you approach Body Faucet with one vision in mind?
Yes, we definitely planned the record out to be the way it is. At the same time, we wanted to make a really versatile album that goes a lot of places and touches different areas. They're going to be our songs because we're playing them. We didn't want to make something that could be easily described.
Where does the versatility come from?
It's true that we have a lot of different influences. Also, as a band, we like to play a lot of various types of music. That comes through on "Body Faucet".
What's the story behind "Houseboat Babies"?
It's funny. That's actually one of the very first songs we ever wrote. We've been playing that song for three years and are admittedly a little sick of it [Laughs]. We debated putting it on the record. It was also the first song we ever released. We had a "Houseboat Babies" 7-inch in 2009. The album version is clearly different in terms of the feel. It's way harder and tighter on the album. The version in the 7-inch is really bouncy. In terms of what the song is about, it's a very sexual song which we're definitely not trying to hide. It's a party jam.
The hook on "Please Don't Kill Me" is awesome.
I like that one a lot too. That might be my favorite to play. We actually pieced that one together before we went in to record it. We worked it out in the studio.
Is there a visual element to the songs?
There definitely is! There are a lot of visual descriptions in the songs. A lot of them enter a dreamlike world and describe situations that are lucid yet not necessarily real. In that sense, they have that visual element. For me, when I'm playing drums, I'm not necessarily visualizing anything. It's more of an energy-centric thing. Each song has a very specific energy I'm trying to forward and communicate. I'm not trying to translate it. I'm trying to communicate it. It's already there. It doesn't need to be put into a different language for people to understand it. It simply needs to be communicated.
What artists shaped you?
That's a really good question. For me, I've always liked bands that had really heavy drumming. It's heavy in the sense that there's a really tight pocket—not metal or hard rock. It's a tight pocket that's super groovy. I love the drums in Kasabian. I don't know what it is. They're really simple, and it's all samples. They're super killer. I think that style has been a big influence. Also, I really like a lot of stuff that's popular now which drummers are into. The dude from The Dirty Projectors and the guy from Grizzly Bear are huge influences. I love their styles, and they're the most tasteful rock drummers I've heard in forever. I took a lot of cues from that. I feel it's really modern, and I like the fact it's happening now.
—Rick Florino
05.29.12
Have you heard Body Faucet yet?
