New York trio Tchotchke met in the highschool locker room, again in 2014 — although their sound and aesthetic far predates that fateful second. Between Anastasia Sanchez, Eva Chambers, and Emily Tooraen, although their music is performed by the prism of modern-day shoegaze-infused guitar-pop, it’s finally rooted of their shared love of the Seashore Boys, Todd Rundgren’s pop sensibilities, and impressed by the sonic panorama of ’60s lady teams just like the Shangri-Las. Steadfastly hooky and saccharine, the trio depart room for each riffage and satire whereas talking to themes of independence and womanhood.
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Their newest album, Playin’ Dumb, does all of that and extra. As one would possibly collect from its title, the LP continues to embrace femininity by hyperbolic caricatures, leaning into tropes of excessive drama, “yapping,” and romance. Produced by one other vintage-inspired success story, the Lemon Twigs, the album sees the trio’s sound evolving and leveling up, wandering by guitar-driven rock to bluesy territories, all from their distinctive pop perspective. We sat down with Tchotchke to speak about “diva rock,” gossip, and literal tchotchkes.
Ambar Navarro
Your new album, Playin’ Dumb, is produced by the Lemon Twigs. How did the collaboration affect your sound and development as a band? What was it like working with them?
EVA CHAMBERS: Working with the Lemon Twigs has undoubtedly pushed us to develop into stronger musicians, songwriters, and vocalists. They make all the pieces look really easy, which is each inspiring and irritating. I first met Michael [D’Addario] 10 years in the past, the idea of our friendship being a shared enthusiasm for a similar artists. Our tastes have stayed fairly constant since then, which makes collaborating on an album collectively very enjoyable and environment friendly.
You’ve described Playin’ Dumb as embodying hyperfeminine caricatures and girl-group personas — may you elaborate on the way you shaped these personas, and the way they developed throughout the album’s growth?
ANASTASIA SANCHEZ: It’s not possible to flee labels which might be projected onto you — in our case, “lady band.” This time, we embraced it. It’s simple to obsess over the result of the album and the way it is going to be perceived, however that’s how we study and develop. All that being stated, these personas are simply… us. In fact, we wish to hold it a bit dramatic. That’s diva rock.
There’s a tongue-in-cheek perspective across the messages on this album. “Poor Woman” appears like instance of this — how do you steadiness satire and sincerity?
CHAMBERS: The band itself is a balancing act of seriousness and playfulness, which naturally reveals up within the writing. We’re three finest buddies, but additionally lifelong enterprise companions. Engaged on this new album taught us that taking songwriting too significantly could be draining and creatively limiting. Our greatest concepts come out once we’re simply having enjoyable, goofing off, and never overthinking it. I feel our personalities and humorousness are fairly evident within the writing.
Ambar Navarro
Additionally, the visuals for this track are clearly very considerate. How do you, as a band, strategy visible storytelling?
EMILY TOORAEN: Thanks! Creating the “Poor Woman” dimension was particularly satisfying after spending numerous time writing the track and constructing the “Poor Woman” characters collectively. Although their tales are just a few phrases lengthy, we indulged in fabricating every of their little worlds and traits. Loads of our visuals for this track specifically had been impressed by a want to lean into hyperfeminine, colourful imagery. The integral animation component of the video, made doable by our buddies Kaila Chambers and Hilla Eden, additionally opened up countless visible alternatives and “fates,” together with stomping rabbits, cigarette hair fires, and jail with stuffed animals. The enormous props and the drum set with braids actually made all of it really feel like a scene straight out of some wacky storybook… I feel we actually simply allowed ourselves to have enjoyable with it. General, Eva created a sensational winding world for this album with the journey by the sport board. Her and Anastasia are each top-tier artists. I’m persistently impressed by what they each give you.
What’s the story behind the title observe, and the way does it relate to the album’s overarching themes?
CHAMBERS: We selected this because the title observe earlier than writing it. The purpose was to maintain the lyrics and association deliberately “dumb” and easy — which made the writing course of fast, simple, and actually enjoyable. It’s about shrinking your self to guard another person’s outsized sense of pleasure. Michael nailed the massive, Spector-esque manufacturing type, making it the right dramatic nearer. Past the track itself, the title ties all the pieces collectively — capturing the album’s themes of playfulness, sarcasm, and the board recreation, in fact.
Ambar Navarro
There’s character-building throughout this album. You’ve talked about creating three distinct persona traces in “Poor Woman” — the place else is there function play in your work? On that notice, are you all yourselves when you find yourself onstage, or do you present up as alter egos?
SANCHEZ: We made up tons of various characters writing “Poor Woman.” After choosing by and deciding our ultimate verses, we realized we may simply be parodying ourselves. In order that’s what we did! We’ve solely ever approached fictional character writing, so making it extra private was a lot enjoyable. I do want I had an alter ego onstage, however I’m a horrible actress.
There’s been point out of a board recreation included within the vinyl launch — what does it contain? How did that idea come into fruition?
CHAMBERS: Sure! The vinyl incorporates a playable “tchotchke-sized” (12×12 insert) recreation board together with buildable pawns, guidelines, directions, and 20 album-themed problem playing cards. The I Spy-like cowl photograph, shot by Max Flick, options some objects you would possibly must play the sport, resembling chocolate milk and lipstick. In the event you purchase the document in particular person at a present, we’ll provide you with a miniature pair of yellow cube to play it with. I first had the thought for a playable board recreation vinyl round two years in the past after writing “The Sport,” however didn’t wish to stifle the artistic course of by establishing an album idea so early on. Ultimately, we noticed how the songs may all relate again to “selecting your subsequent transfer” and the artwork of taking part in dumb. I needed to have rib surgical procedure earlier this 12 months, so there was lot of bedridden time to deal with the main points. The sport was rigorously drawn and deliberate because the songs and recordings had been nonetheless being completed. Emily wrote numerous the cardboard prompts, every one impressed by a unique observe. General, we needed the album to really feel inviting and playful, and creating an interactive expertise appeared like a good way to take action!
Your music blends Merseybeat drums, kaleidoscopic pop riffs, and girl-group harmonies. Do you see the album as a contemporary love letter to retro pop, and the way do you steadiness classic affect together with your distinctive voice? Would you even name the sound “classic”?
SANCHEZ: We recorded on to tape, which supplies our music that heat analog sound. The phrase classic is thrown round rather a lot, and I’m by no means positive if it has something to do with the music as a lot as the way in which we gown. I used to be in an orchestra and choir in center college and beloved the theatrics of all of it. I at all times thought my voice was too foolish, however these years had a huge effect on discovering what labored for me. That’d be thought-about vintage music.
Ambar Navarro
From the opening “The Sport” to the ultimate title observe, how would you like listeners to expertise the arc of Playin’ Dumb? Is there a story thread or evolving temper crafted deliberately within the tracklisting?
TOORAEN: The sentiment we’ve all shared all through the method of making this album is that we wish listeners to really feel invited to stroll by Tchotchkeland; for it to really feel like taking part in a board recreation one track at a time. The bodily recreation is included with the vinyl to carry listeners as near this expertise as doable. Femininity, gossip, possessiveness, and the commonalities we share as ladies are all threads that run by the album. As I’ve listened again to the album in its entirety, the evolving sense of our camaraderie — as a band and as buddies — stands out to me as one in every of its strengths. Arriving at “Goodbye,” we affirm our dedication to one another, and with the ultimate “Playin’ Dumb,” we embrace the comicality that holds us collectively.
What would you say the highest 5 influences on this album had been?
TOORAEN: The highest 5 influences on this album had been lady teams — together with the Shangri-Las, the Ronettes, the Toys, and plenty of extra — our private collections of tchotchkes and dream pets, Milton Bradley, I Spy, and true tales we’ve shared with our buddies and one another.
Photographer: Ambar Navarro
Lighting Design: Max Flick
Styling and Location: Kiki Stash
Hair: Gabriella Mancha
MUA: Kayli Rachelle
MUA Assistant: Aurora De Leon
