The Stranded Q&A: Lansdowne

"While their vocals contain less preteen yelping then your used to from today's rock bands, Lansdowne fit into many genres but none simultaneously. Their music features vivid storytelling and a silky-smooth delivery that ranks them among the top unsigned bands out there today" (Absolutepunk.net).

The local Boston band has love for the city, and the city loves them back. Lansdowne was chosen as "One of Boston's Best Bands" by mix 98.5 and have had 12 sold-out Boston shows, most recently the Middle East Downstairs.

They definitely have a few "put-on-repeat" worthy songs, and that's exactly what I've been doing. Check out their music for yourself on their myspace page at www.myspace.com/lansdowne.

1. Hailing from Boston makes us better than all those non-Boston bands because:

"I think every market and region has its fair share of talent, but in Boston we've got an incredibly saturated scene juxtaposed against ever-changing weather. Right from the start Boston bands have to work that much harder to rise to the top and stay there, all the while hauling gear through eight inches of snow or two inches of rain just to get our stuff into the club. We work harder, period."

2. Name at least 3 bands that are still around and touring that you'd love to be on a bill with, and think it fits well:

"I think Kings of Lean, Paramore, and The Black Crowes would be right up there for me. All three have an incredible touring history, and I think we could learn a lot from each of them. I remember when Paramore was still supporting bills at Axis and I just loved their songs and how accessible they were. The new Kings of Leon record is really amazing and they are finally getting the credit they deserve in the US. As far as The Black Crowes go, as a vocalist I look up to Chris Robinson and would love to share a stage with him."

"It would would also be amazing to tour with the Goo Goo Dolls since Dizzy Up The Girl was a record that really defined high school for me and helped me understand why I loved music so much. Between Rob Cavallo's production and Rzeznik's writing, that album had a lot of influence on how I write music."

3. Your favorite Boston venue to perform in is:

"Middle East Downstairs. We sold out the room last year and will be returning this spring to close out our two and a half month national tour, and we just love the raw feel of it. The staff (Kevin, Clay, Kieran, John, Dave, Dick) have been incredibly supportive of us, and the sound is great. Right now, that's our home."

4. Are there any genres that influence your music conceptually, rather than sonically? (In that you can't hear from simply listening to the music, but from getting into the structure or mathematics of song-writing, etc.):

"I think for us it's less about genres and more about the emotion behind the music. I listen to Ray LaMontagne and I can FEEL the heartache in his voice and in his words. His record, Trouble, is completely disarming. Shaun loves Sigur Ros, because the music forces you to give yourself over to it. I think musicians are at their best when they're telling a story, whether it be with words or through raw power of the vocals or the movement of the instrumentation. We want to make sure that our fans are part of the story."

5. Your favorite local bar to hit up when not doing the whole band deal is:

"I love Bill's Bar. Our first sell outs were there and they've taken care of us like family. It's on Lansdowne street, too, and walking that street helps remind me of why I started playing music since we took so much inspiration from the shows at Axis and Avalon."

You can check out Lansdowne at one of their up-coming shows on February 6th at Harpers Ferry, with Eve 6. Doors open at 8pm.

Here's a little preview of what you'll be hearing:
Download: "I'll See You Again" [mp3]