After a decade of refining their moody instrumental indie rock round, South Bay band Amonie are finally ready to release their debut record, Last Rites, which could mark the beginning of a whole new phase for them.
“It’s great because this is the first time we’ve heard ourselves professionally, like a very polished version of us. You can totally hear parts better now. I was like, ‘I didn’t know that guitar line existed,’” says drummer Nick Eros.
Despite how frequently and methodically they’ve always rehearsed, each member has always had the freedom to exist in their own bubble, playing whatever parts were most meaningful to them.
“We’re four soloing musicians who happen to work together,” Eros says.
But spending five long days in the studio together has brought the group cohesion and a better understanding of how to make their individual parts fit together better.
“We’re trying to work with each other. It’s almost like we’re an a capella band, in the sense that we’re four voices. When people sing together and harmonize, they don’t purposely clash with each other,” says bassist Dan Barrera.
The group spared no expense making a proper full-length debut record. They recorded the record in January at Tiny Telephone, John Vanderslice’s studio, whose client list includes Magnetic Fields, Spoon, Death Cab For Cutie, The Mountain Goats and many other respected names in indie music.
