No one really likes overly pretentious bands, and neither do Astronomers, the four-piece local band that describes itself as a bunch of danceable, yet intelligent rockers. Since its formation, the band has produced a few demos, added a guitarist and played many a gig. But soon, Astronomers will take one of the most critical steps in its music career. Tomorrow, the band will celebrate the release of its first professionally produced album titled Think Fast. Before that happened though, tableau snagged the chance to sit down with singer/songwriter/guitarist Nate Bolling and guitarist Kyle Woolard to see what this 'Astronomers' business is all about.
tableau: Tell me a little about what you guys have been up to.\nKW: [The record]'s anti-jam, and even though I've joined the band late, it sounds like everything's been labored over, and I'm happy to be a part of this project.
tab: How do you think your music stacks up against the rest of the local music scene?\nNate Bolling: I'd say that we have a more thought-out and unique style that doesn't sound regurgitated.\nKW: I agree, there's so much of that stuff catering to bar crowds, like jam and cover bands.\nNB: It seems like anything that's alternative to that, no one gives props to.
tab: How do you guys see yourselves fitting into the larger, musical picture, and what do you think of the current state of the industry?\nKW: There's one splinter of the music scene that's doing something progressive, like Adam Smith. Music has been raped and pillaged while not being treated as an art form for too long.
tab: What's with the name?\nNB: We're just a bunch of science geeks. We don't play video games or anything like that, but if we're bored, we'll just pick up an astronomy book.\nKW: Also, we're "Astronomers," not "The Astronomers." We feel that's an important distinction because we think the "The" sounds pretentious, but just being "Astronomers" fits because at the end of the day, we are all astronomers in one way or another.\nNB: Yeah, that and it was between that name and "Space Tits," which is now our fake label name.
tab: Your singles for this new album seem pretty different from your demos. What changed?\nNB: We got the opportunity to spend more time on songs with this record. Everything before this one was basically recorded live.\nKW: We owe a lot of our change to our producer, Lance Brenner. He has been incredibly involved and is always ready to try new things.
tab: So, no changes in musical inspiration or influence?\nNB: I've been listening to Muse, but also a lot of Supergrass. Also, I'm addicted to The Strokes.\nKW: I always say we're like a perfect mix between Radiohead and Franz Ferdinand.
tab: What does this new album bring to the table that your previous efforts haven't?\nNB: What I get from listening to it is that it's not trying to be anything else than what it is. That lack of pretentiousness is what I really want people to take away from it.
tab: Like your name, your lyrics usually reference back to astronomical terms. Is there a particular reason why?\nKW: It makes for great metaphors.\nNB: To be honest, I've never been able to s*** out lyrics, so writing about what I know helps my process.\nKW: The only way to make sense of the world sometimes is to just use what you know.
tab: What is the future of Astronomers looking like?\nNB: We just want U.Va. to be aware of us even though we don't play shows near Grounds too often, but we should be playing a show at Cantina soon. Also, our CD release party will be at AstroLodge (2020 Pireus Row) Nov. 6 at 9 p.m.
tab: Anything else?\nNB: Keep an eye out for us.
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