Piranha Rama | Interview | New Album, ‘Omniscient Cloud Cover’
Richmond, Virginia’s Piranha Rama released their third LP, ‘Omniscient Cloud Cover’, via Brokers Tip Records, run by Pavement’s Bob Nastanovich.
Sonically, ‘Omniscient Cloud Cover’ runs the gamut from festival-ready indie-pop earworms to big band jazz-tinged psychedelic rock and hazy bedroom-pop, constantly shifting in a way that feels simultaneously meticulous and unpredictable. Though the band plays jump rope with genre-lines, their masterful arrangements and pop finesse keep the songs from ever feeling disjointed. New single ‘Golden Blues’ finds the band at their most danceable, with prog-inspired guitar riffs and steady backbeat drums punctuated by stings of brass and woodwinds as multiple vocalists explore the paradox of isolation in a hyper-connected world.
How would you describe your sound?
Chrissie Lozano: I tell strangers psychey-soul-y/rock n rolly.
Would you like to talk a bit about your background?
Richmond is a place where, in times of abundance, you can go out every night and and see who’s playing, see what everyone is working on… probably about ten years ago it was like that here, and I think a lot of us kind of had a “dream roster” of players we’d love to collaborate with, and then, we did! I think Tim [Falen], John [Sizemore] and I all had a similar dawning where there’s no reason to be afraid to ask. Maybe someone doesn’t have time, isn’t into your project. Fine. Next. But usually it all works out! Rejection is no longer a concern.
When did you decide that you wanted to start writing and performing your own music? What brought that about for you?
I was between bands and not sure if I wanted to get back in the game, but I was obsessing over songs, I mean anything from Sister Sledge to Erkin Koray… just kind of on a vibe hunt. I remember being at friends’ houses and hogging the stereo, declaring that I would get a band together just like this: harmonies, horns, hooks, the whole thing. I didn’t think much about all that when Tim, John, Ryan and I started writing together, but I do kind of think of those days as a launch pad.
What does the name “Piranha Rama” refer to in the context of the band name?
So the o-rama/a-rama suffix always gives me a smile, it hints at a bonanza, a spectacle, an array. I thought that sounded kind of tough and fun. Also, my thinking went, if the Jacuzzi Boys ever came through town we could play with them and the flyer would be so fantastic. And they did! And we did! And it was!
How do you usually approach music making?
It depends. Sometimes whoever has a sketch of an idea will bring it to the room and we flesh it out together with the backing vocals and horn parts added last. Typically I’ll have something in a notebook that will work with the tune and I’ll have a full set of lyrics worked up after we get a basic form together. If I write the music, I’ll have a more finished set of lyrics, but I’ll still edit a lot once the song takes shape.
Can you share some further details how your latest album ‘Omniscient Cloud Cover’ was recorded?
Everything was different with ‘Omniscient Cloud Cover’ because we weren’t really getting together. John sent me a sort of sonic songbook: all the demos of the tracks and I wrote the words over the music. It was a great way to pass the time, take a break from the news and the rest of the monotony that defined 2020. It was crazy to work with this album of fully realized songs when we had spent too little time playing them as a group.
How pleased were you with the sound of the album?
That being said, I just love the sounds you can get at The Virginia Moonwalker. Russell [Lacy] is a gem to work with and that place gives you texture a guy can feel.
What are some bands/musicians that have a big influence on you?
How about some non-musical influences? Barometric Pressure, crowded rooms, empty beaches, warm clean towels, anxiety, and melty cheese!
Do you often play live? Who are some of your personal favorite bands that you’ve had a chance to play with over the past few years?
Altin Gün, Death Valley Girls, Mike Watt, Jacuzzi Boys… and so many wonderful local bands… Do we name them? We can.
What are some future plans?
I imagine we’ll keep on like always—play more gigs, get more songs worked up, record those, repeat. That’s how we have our good times.
Are any of you involved in any other bands or do you have any active side-projects going on at this point?
Yes, everyone has other projects. Milkstains, Ages, Rumput, NO BS Brass Band, Bio Ritmo, Black Masala, I have a Talking Heads tribute act that Bob plays in also.
Let’s end this interview with some of your favourite albums. Have you found something new lately you would like to recommend to our readers?
I’m pretty excited about Say She She. I spend so much time listening to old music and world music that new stuff gets by me a lot, but this caught me.
Klemen Breznikar
Headline photo: Lauren Serpa
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Brokers Tip Records Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / Bandcamp
