Finding Comfort In STRFKR’s latest album, Parallel Realms
By: Maile Carballo
“Without birth and death, and without the perpetual transmutation of all the forms of life, the world would be static, rhythm-less, undancing, mummified.” -Alan Watts
STRFKR’s compositions and otherworldly performances thrive on Watt’s perpetual motion concepts. It’s a philosophy frontman Joshua Hodges has consistently embraced since they featured sampled recordings of Watts on their debut album, Starfucker.
Now in their 17th year together, the band’s latest release, Parallel Realms, offers a clear manifestation of this philosophy, featuring familiar melodies, existential songwriting, and five fresh, palette-cleansing interludes.
STRFKR has never shied away from creating cohesive albums, retentive to their personal beliefs and musical intuitions. Considering the diversity of sound paired with the interludes on this album, Parallel Realms is arguably STRFKR’s most STRFKR album to date.
Ahead of their April 11th performance at Emo’s, bandmates Joshua Hodges and Keil Corcoran sat down to chat about the journey Parallel Realms has brought them on.
“After COVID and everything, I had been in a weird slump, not writing and recording music for the longest amount of time. But then I did a thing where I made myself write at least one song every day for a month, and it turned out to be pretty fruitful.” Joshua tells me.
With the Portland-born band spread out across the West Coast, the gang treated the beginning of the writing process for Parallel Realms like a long-distance game of Exquisite Corpse, before regrouping back in Oregon to complete the album.
We sent files to each other for a while,” Joshua says, “and then Kyle moved back and he really made us get the ball rolling on the album. He was like, ‘okay, we have 50 demos. Let’s whittle it down. We got 30. Okay. Now let’s get it down more.’”
Of those 50-plus songs, a chunk were short ambient demos that had been collecting in a treasure chest of tabled songs. Joshua explains their intention of placing interludes throughout the flow of the album.
“Maybe we should give up
“Holding on”- Parallel Realms
I don’t wanna feel that burden anymore
I don’t wanna feel like we’re just holding on
I don’t wanna feel that burden anymore”
“It really sets the pace and vibe between songs. Some people might think of it as a negative thing in that way, it could mess up the flow. But I’ve always loved when artists did that sort of thing. It’s kind of like a flex in a weird way. I just listened to Schoolboy Q’s new album BLUE LIPS, which I think is pretty incredible. It follows that flow really well.”
Amidst the many textures of Parallel Realms, the album alludes more often than not to relatable feelings in moments that most don’t dare to approach.
I asked Joshua about the build-up to writing new songs and reworking old ones.
“At first I didn’t feel like there was a lot of intention behind the lyrics. But after hearing the album back, I realized, ‘oh, there’s all these narratives that fit in my life.’ I think that sometimes it can just come out subconsciously, especially with this kind of personal stuff.”
Subconscious or not, these guys have managed to gain a whole generation of music fans with their blend of cynical reflections and the infectious synthy sounds that define the early 21st century. And for what STRFKR does, this is just the right combination.
“The thing is, there’s a juice in the core of everybody that we all feel tapped into. It’s a bittersweet kind of “mono no aware” thing– that whole fleeting beauty idea with the cherry trees in Japan. The trees are beautiful while they’re here, but it hurts when they leave, you know? I feel like that’s where the contrast with the lyrics and the music comes in. It doesn’t feel like super dark lyrics that are in every other scene.”
The result of this mashup is evidently understood in their fanbase too.
Joshua explains. “There’s this Nick Cave blog post that I read a while back. He was talking about how once you make something and put it out in the world, people have their own relationship with it. It’s theirs. You might hate it because you made it and you’ve heard it so much and you’re embarrassed that you wrote it, but these people have a totally different tie to what you created, and it’s equally valid.”
Keil intercepts.“That’s been a theme that’s been coming up over and over again. Just that idea of how art just belongs to whoever.”
On the subject matter, both Joshua and Keil agreed that they are their own worst critics during live shows, even after their fans happily consume newly released STRFKR music. But it’s made up for when they hear the impact of their art while interacting with the band’s long line of supporters. On their current tour, fans have the opportunity to get their merch signed after shows and meet Joshua and bandmate Shawn Glassford.
The two spoke in total agreement about how chuffed they felt about hearing from their supportive fanbase.
“It actually really helps us,” Joshua explains, “It especially helps to pull myself out of it all. A lot of times we’re in our heads during the show and noticing everything going wrong, but then we go to the merch table and people didn’t notice any of what we were feeling.”
It’s extremely difficult to notice any mistakes during one of STRFKR’s iconic confetti-drowned performances filled with cosmic visuals, dancing bears, and sensual astronauts. After all, who wouldn’t have the best time of their life at the intergalactic variant of a Flaming Lips concert?
Joshua continues. “During the pandemic, I really got into a hard phase where I was so isolated in my circumstance that it felt so difficult to feel like there was any point in making anything that would go anywhere. But then we go to the merch table after shows and have people say things to us like, ‘that was the greatest show ever’ or even ‘your music helped save me in a dark time,’ and wonderful somatic things go into my brain. It’s just a reminder that it always ends up somewhere and it does connect with people even if it’s just one person. That’s just amazing.”
Keil agrees. “Feels pretty good. Even if it’s just one person that likes that one song. That’s everything.”
I asked the two if they had any examples of “that one song” from Parallel Realms.
Joshua answers earnestly.
“‘Leaving’ has that. And also ‘Something To Prove.’ That’s an old one that I wrote a long time ago about being disappointed in a friend and the pure tenderness in that. You care so much, but you can’t let yourself be disappointed.”
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Artist: STRFKR
Album: Parallel Realms (Polyvinyl Records, 2024)
Date: 4-11-2024
Set List:
“Underwater/ In Air”
“Leaving”
“Holding On”
Credits:
Musicians: Joshua Hodges – vocals, guitar; Shawn Glassford – keys; Keil Corcoran – drums; Patrick Morris -guitar
Producer: Deidre Gott; Production Assistant: Confucius Jones; Audio Engineer: Brent Benedict, Rayna Sevilla, Jake Perlman; Audio Mix: Jake Perlman; Cameras: Patricia Lim, Renee Dominguez; Edit: Renee Dominguez; Host: Laurie Gallardo
