Based in Washington, D.C., experimental pop ensemble The North Country is set to release their upcoming album "The Future's Is All We Need" on April 26 via Misra. Today, they unveil their latest single and video, "Be Here Be Now," emphasizing the importance of staying present amidst distractions. The band, self-described as "indie pop futurists," infuse heavy subjects with sparkling, danceable tunes, showcased by dual vocals from Margot Macdonald and Andrew Grossman. Their music, characterized by complex arrangements and blistering political commentary, challenges societal norms. With their upcoming performance at Culture House DC on March 29, featuring a VR music video, The North Country promises an immersive experience that's both thought-provoking and dance-inducing.
How did the band form?
The North Country formed deep in the DC house show scene of the late twenty-teens. Front-person Andrew Grossman had a vision of a sound, and through countless sweaty basement shows met every weirdo and freakazoid in the DC house show scene. One-by-one, he pulled together a rag tag gaggle of their most unique and talented musicians in the scene, and assembled the juggernaut of sound-color that stands before you today.
What are your previous musical projects? How'd you first get into music?
I (Andrew) also play in a band called Lotion Princess which is Indie Pop and The Haunted Boy Project, which is a full 2-act rock opera, performed by a 10-piece band, which musically retells the story of The Exorcist.
Here are some links for some of our other projects
First concert that you ever went to?
The first concert I ever went to was Barenaked Ladies - Stunt Tour 1997.
What's your writing process like?
Writing is not a process of inventing. Writing is a process of discovering. I play around with sounds and when I discover something, I package it and refine it with the band until it becomes a song. Sometimes we send audio files of really rough ideas to each other and mold it and refine it together. Then we play the song live and see how it feels in front of people. Then we record it.
What other artists or songs inspire your music?
Caroline Polachek - Amazing singer, amazing writer, a true artist. The best working in pop right now.
U.S. Girls - Meg Remy is such a badass. I love this song so much. It's about a woman who dies and goes to the Pearly Gates, but St. Peter says he'll only let her into heaven if she sleeps with him. Brilliant social commentary. Plus this live version is out of control.
100 Gecs - I was honestly intimidated by their music initially when it was marketed as "hyper-pop", because I didn't know what that was. But after giving it a serious listen I realized it's just really well executed pop-punk with electronic elements. The sounds may be different but the themes, song structures, and attitude are well established. It's just the logical next step for the genre, and a great time.
What's the live experience like and your philosophy on playing live? Do you think the music live should be identical to the recorded version or should it be its own thing?
The recorded version is frozen in time, existing in a state of perpetual repetition. The live version of a song grows and evolves. It breathes with the energy of the audience and mutates over time into different forms. The two are separate things, and that's cool.
U.S. Girls - Meg Remy is such a badass. I love this song so much. It's about a woman who dies and goes to the Pearly Gates, but St. Peter says he'll only let her into heaven if she sleeps with him. Brilliant social commentary. Plus this live version is out of control.
100 Gecs - I was honestly intimidated by their music initially when it was marketed as "hyper-pop", because I didn't know what that was. But after giving it a serious listen I realized it's just really well executed pop-punk with electronic elements. The sounds may be different but the themes, song structures, and attitude are well established. It's just the logical next step for the genre, and a great time.
What's the live experience like and your philosophy on playing live? Do you think the music live should be identical to the recorded version or should it be its own thing?
The recorded version is frozen in time, existing in a state of perpetual repetition. The live version of a song grows and evolves. It breathes with the energy of the audience and mutates over time into different forms. The two are separate things, and that's cool.
The most important thing with playing live is just being in the moment as much as possible. Our music is designed to be fun for the audience, so it's important that we also have fun playing it.
What has your touring experience been like? Best shows? Worst shows?
Touring is a joy. A logistical nightmare, but a joy. We had a great time last year at LAVAFest in Norfolk. DC homecoming at Songbyrd after a brutal brush with covid was a real cathartic release. I feel like there were some real brutal shows back in the day in like Cincinnati on a Tuesday that really sobered me up. "Oh shit, I need to make some changes" kind of shows. Honestly, those kinds of shows don't happen too much anymore, thankfully.
What's up next for the band?
Touring is a joy. A logistical nightmare, but a joy. We had a great time last year at LAVAFest in Norfolk. DC homecoming at Songbyrd after a brutal brush with covid was a real cathartic release. I feel like there were some real brutal shows back in the day in like Cincinnati on a Tuesday that really sobered me up. "Oh shit, I need to make some changes" kind of shows. Honestly, those kinds of shows don't happen too much anymore, thankfully.
What's up next for the band?
We have a brand new full length album coming out April 26 on House of Joy. Pre-order here: https://thenorthcountry.bandcamp.com/album/the-futures-all-we-need
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ePDWKisYScdi7gDb8WOEO?si=SO_qhI4gR_OiYBzi1XgoTA