Razor Braids Talk Us Through New Music, The Changing Landscape Of Rock, And More

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We speak to Brooklyn’s Razor Braids about new music, rock’s changing landscape, and more

Hailing out of Brooklyn comes a barrage of high fidelity rock n roll in the form of Razor Braids. We recently got our ears around their latest single ‘Berate Me’, a angular edged scythe of poignant lyricism matched with effective guitar licks. So, without hesitation we reached out to find out more about this very promising rock outfit.

Kieran: You had a very busy 2023 that saw you play SXSW showcases, Boston Calling, and more, how was that and what did you learn from those experiences?

RB: 2023 was one the best and most challenging years of our lives. Getting to tour the country together and playing as much music as we did was a dream. We learned so much about ourselves and each other, and also just about being touring musicians at a challenging time in the industry. After playing all those shows it’s just become so clear how essential and exciting it is to connect with new people and build a community – it’s so rewarding to play these songs and hear that they resonated with the audience, big or small. It really makes all the little obstacles that come with touring worth it. It’s a great reminder as to one of the many reasons why we do this– to make people feel less alone in their experiences and feelings.

Kieran: How have they helped shape your sound and experiences for 2024?

RB: We lived so much life last year together and that’s really reflected in our current sound. Touring just forces you and allows you to get tighter as a band because you have to be so flexible and willing to iterate. Songs translate so differently when you’re in a live space with bodies in the room vs a studio and vary so much when you’re going from playing small clubs to Boston Calling mainstage. Playing as many different kinds of shows as we did in the past year was great in terms of being able to understand the ways we can get our message across in an even more impactful way. After each show we would ask each other what worked or what didn’t, what we should try next time, how we can play and experiment more. Janie learned how to play her guitar with her shoe…so y’all can definitely plan to see more shit like that in 2024.

Kieran: Talking 2024, you released your latest single ‘Berate Me’ this month and have plans to release your sophomore album too. Can you explain what ‘Berate Me’ means to you and how it reflects the sound and vibe of your second album? 

RB: “Berate Me” means that we should really really listen to our own songs and actually pay attention to those red flags at the beginning of a relationship!!! But seriously…the songs we wrote for the first album discussed life and all of its changes, but the overall feeling was “shit happens and we’re PISSED about it!” This album feels like growth. “Shit happens and we’re mad but I know we’ll be okay and stronger for it.” “Berate Me” is emblematic of that greater emotional maturity – it’s dark but it’s funny and self-aware and really introspective and a lot of that is reflected in the lyricism of this record. Instrumentally, there’s a lot of push and pull in this song too, which, without giving too much away, is another emotional aspect of this album– kind of getting tossed around and getting your shit rocked but coming out on the other end with more understanding of yourself.

Listen/watch ‘Berate Me’ here:

Kieran: Did you do anything differently with the writing and recording process this time round? 

RB: Maybe it was touring, maybe it’s Maybelline but we’ve grown a lot when it comes to songwriting and playing together and being more thoughtful about what we’re trying to say. As opposed to coming to each song with a preconceived notion of what we thought the song was “supposed” to be, we really took the time to figure out what the song really called for and sometimes that took us by surprise. All of a sudden a song is actually a duet or there’s a slide guitar or we REALLY need to speed up that song we thought was slow jam. We really allowed ourselves to set everything aside and serve the songs themselves as opposed to any kind of expectations for what they should be or what other people would want them to be.

Kieran: Did you have a clear plan and vision for the album or was it something that was discovered on the go/whilst jamming? 

RB: Whenever we go into something and say “here’s what this is going to be” it never actually turns out that way, it’s so much more organic than that. We’ve written a lot of songs over the last few years, but this grouping of songs just started to fit together so nicely. Especially since the pandemic, we never really know what’s going to happen from one day to the next and it’s forced us as a collective to just go with the flow for better or worse. There’s a sense of acceptance and making peace with that uncertainty and that acceptance became the main theme of the record and a big part of the way these songs came to be. It feels good to look at this album now, so close to the release, and see all the ways it came together in such a natural way because we allowed the space for that to happen.

Kieran: People throw the phrase rock music is dead a lot, but bands like yourselves prove this not to be true. What do you think people mean by this and how does it make you feel? 

RB: Oh that statement is so sad. It’s not dead for us! It’s just different. That just feels like such a lazy and dismissive outlook when there’s so much exciting rock music still being created, especially from independent artists. Maybe what’s dead is people’s old ass opinion of what rock music IS. Yeah, sure, 4 cis het white dudes playing the same four instruments singing about underage girls is and should absolutely be dead, but rock is so much more than that and we love challenging that notion. We can have thick, fuzzed out bass tones and nasty riffs while also incorporating these delicate harmonies and introspective lyrics about the complexities of navigating womanhood, relationships and mental health. When people say rock is dead, we say “challenge accepted.” 

Kieran: Lastly, what advice would you give to any aspiring rock/alt bands out there?

1. We are so used to generating mass amounts of content and receiving instant gratification that stepping away from that and really focusing on what you’re creating feels scary. As long as you’re having fun, enjoying yourself, and putting your whole soul into what you’re making, then you’re doing it right. Trust yourself, trust your voice and stick to that. There’s only one you. Be inspired by your peers but try to never compare yourself to them. It is and should be about the music, not your damn stream count. 
2. Go to as many shows as you can and soak in what you love about them. So much of our inspiration and motivation comes from seeing live music – exploring what resonates and how we can bring that feeling into what we do. 
3. Play shows! Doesn’t matter how small. House shows, teeny tiny rooms in bars, anything. Playing live is so integral to shaping your sound and you learn so much. 

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