Just to be like Ski Lodge

by Magda Rucinski

If you like your melancholy wrapped up in jangles that remind you of the 1980s, Ski Lodge is pretty much the go-to band for that. Ski Lodge recently released their debut album, Big Heart, and I talked to front man Andrew Marr about being compared to The Smiths (like, a lot), the realities of touring, and Twin Shadow remixes.

Irene Lo: Is being compared to The Smiths a blessing or a curse?

Andrew Marr: It’s a little bit of both. I mean, personally, they are one of the greatest bands of all time so, you know, if people keep comparing us directly to them, it kind of sucks because I don’t think I’m ever going to be as good as them. But it’s also flattering. I love their music and they’re definitely a big influence. It’s awesome that people can hear the influence.

IL: What is the biggest stylistic difference between the Ski Lodge EP and Big Heart?

AM: There’s a lot more synthesizer and complementary keyboard parts. The EP was pretty bare and I didn’t have a lot to work with. It was in my room with guitar, bass, and drums. There was a lot more production that went into Big Heart and it was a big step forward. The songs are more mature and the lyrics a little more personal. It’s got more of an 80s Smiths vibe as opposed to the EP that got compared to Vampire Weekend.

IL: “Just to Be like You” was a personal song. The video was interesting as well. What was it about the idea of a cult you thought connected with a song that’s about fathers and sons?

AM: The video wasn’t my idea. Basically, the directors came up to me and it was their interpretation of the song and lyrics. The idea was, I don’t know if I can explain it as well as the directors, but it’s a desire to be something that is not necessarily good. You should set up an interview with the director, Ian [Perlman]. He’s done a lot of videos for bands from Brooklyn.

IL: Aside from that beef jerky incident, how was touring with Chad Valley and the whole experience of being on the road?

AM: It was amazing. Chad Valley, I don’t think there could’ve been a better person to floor with for our first time. He was really nice and enthusiastic. It was tiring. We were only on the road for two weeks so I can’t imagine what bands go through when they’re on tour for months at a time but it was cool. In each city we went to there was at least a handful of people there to see us. That was awesome, and I got to see a ton of the country I’ve never seen before like the Pacific Northwest.

IL: “I Can’t Tell.” It’s the last song to end Big Heart and it was different to the songs that went before it. Could you tell me a bit about the process that went into recording a song like that?

AM: Yeah that song was written a couple of years before the other ones. When I was talking to Lewis who produced the record and my label, I had fifteen or sixteen ideas for songs and that was one of them. I didn’t think it was going to be on the record but everybody was like, this is beautiful we should do it. It’s completely different so it was good.

I used to write a lot of songs like that on the piano, and it was nice to get back to that and not just write these guitar jangly surf songs.

IL: Name a producer or DJ you’d like to remix one of your songs

AM: Twin Shadow. Maybe “Anything to Hurt you.”