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Image: Ben Ritter
The Antlers have come a long way. New Yorkers that have been working the club scene for a while and releasing their own albums, they are finally getting some recognition. Frenchkiss is re-releasing their latest album, Hospice, on August 18, but you can stream it now here. Their music is beautiful and sad and did I mention beautiful? The critics have been raving, and Pitchfork gave their song “Bear” an 8.0.
They’ve been playing shows nonstop, so unsurprisingly they have a bunch coming up. This Friday, June 26, they will play the Rooftop Films event at Open Road Rooftop (350 Grand St), followed by a screening of Humpday. You can buy tickets here. The they will jaunt around the country for a while, returning to NYC on August 21 for a record release show at Mercury Lounge with Murder Mystery, Twin Thousands and Brent Arnold (solo cello). Tickets on sale here.They also recently did a piece on NPR. Check it out here.
It just so happens that The Antlers were one of the first bands to reach out to me when I started writing for this blog, so I have long championed them. Frontman Peter Silberman took the time to answer a few of my questions:
Big Apple Music Scene: You guys have come a long way in the last couple years. I remember when I first took over this blog at the end of 2007, you were one of the first bands to email me with show information and back then you were playing some pretty tiny venues. Now, you have released a critically acclaimed album, are playing multiple shows at Bowery Ballroom, Music Hall Hall of Williamsburg, etc., and you just got signed to the awesome label Frenchkiss! How does it feel to have accomplished so much in so little time? Do you think things will change a lot with your increased exposure?
Peter Silberman: It’s all completely bizarre. This big change was completely unexpected, but I feel like in a pretty short period of time, we’ve been working really hard and are really dedicated to what we’re doing. It’s all extremely encouraging…definitely a dream come true.
As for whether or not things will change, they’ve already changed monumentally, and that seems to happen almost every day. I have no idea what the future’s going to bring, but that’s a good feeling.
BAMS: You’ve been opening for a lot of great bands lately, and have more in the future. What bands are the most fun to work/play with?
PS: It’s been amazing to get the chance to play with a lot of bands we really admire and are huge fans of. That Walkmen/Beach House bill in April was a dream bill. The White Rabbits show was great too, and Cymbals Eat Guitars are super impressive and sweet people.
BAMS: Your album, Hospice, is a bit of a somber affair. What were you going through when you wrote it?
PS: It was a long period of getting social readjustment, a lot of attempts at understanding the past and moving forward with it.
BAMS: After the re-release of Hospice this summer, what’s next for The Antlers?
PS: Well, we’re touring a bunch this summer up until then, and then will probably continue to do that, hitting Monolith Festival in September and CMJ in October. If we get any free time in between tours, I think we’re all really itching to start recording again.
BAMS: How does being from NYC influence you music–or not?
PS: New York’s full of a lot of amazing bands…probably too many. I think it makes us work harder, practice more, etc. But I think in addition to all the influential music happening here now, there’s also so much musical history here that sometimes it seeps into what you’re writing/recording or how you’re playing live.
BAMS: What venue here has been the best to play at?
PS: It’s safe to say we’ve all got a soft spot for Cake Shop, where, for awhile, we were playing almost every two weeks. Recently we’ve been really fortunate to have the chance to play some of the bigger venues. I’d say my & Michael’s favorite’s been Music Hall of Williamsburg and Darby’s has been Bowery Ballroom.
