Band Of Horses just released their brilliant new album, the very optimistically named Things Are Great. Despite the jubilant title that might seem out of place during these dark times, a phrase that would have been true at any point in the last few years sadly, Things Are Great is a very accurate representation of the state of the world in 2022.
Candid and vulnerable, the wonderful 10-song collection finds frontman Ben Bridwell and the group delivering at what Bridwell calls the "Best of our abilities." I spoke with him about the new album, his indoctrination into indie rock and his avid sports fandom and what the Atlanta Braves should change their name to.
Steve Baltin: It's a wonderful record and it's an interesting album title for these times. I go back to years ago interviewing Nick Cave, who said something fascinating. He talked about the fact that as an artist, you're always writing what it is you're searching for. So do you feel like Things Are Great was trying to create a self-fulfilling prophecy?
Ben Bridwell: My friend, it would be very hard to ever follow up a Nick Cave quote to something like that. I can tell you, I only wrote about what I was going through, and I felt liberated by the task of telling it the way I saw it and not being hampered by industry norms or expectations of anyone else but myself.
Baltin: Were there songs early on that shaped this record?
Bridwell: It's tough now, 'cause I see them as a whole group of little babies or whatever, and now they're all like siblings. So it's kind of hard to look at them separately, but I'd say that working with Wolfgang Zimmerman down here in South Carolina, the songs that I worked on with him in his storage shed, that shaped just the feeling and the vibe. And I think everything kind of fell into place afterwards.
Baltin: Are there themes that emerge in the record that kind of surprised you?
Bridwell: It's funny that you catch me on this day, because I was able to reflect and take a listen to what the f**k happened honestly. What surprises me is the vulnerability and speaking like my true self and not being like whistle-blown every time I say a cuss word or talking like the way I talk. And I think that's really important about this record.
Balitn: Are there specific songs on there where you see that vulnerability?
Bridwell: Yeah, I see it. Not just cuss words and stuff, but just the vulnerability of my true story kind of shining through, I believe. Songs like "You Are Nice To Me," where it's talking about seeing a love of yours driving past you or other things like hearing about how this person was out on the town. It's hard to tell you who I'm talking about, whether it'd be me or my ex, but there's so much of that vulnerability that shines through.
Baltin: Who are a couple of those artists for you that when you listen to their music you feel like they're speaking directly to you?
Bridwell: Elliott Smith, Nick Cave, Lou Barlow. I can go on for days. I grew up in such a nice house with good music always playing. I know that I was really proud when Black Crowes came out that I could show my dad something finally, because I grew up with good Southern rock stuff and good Southern soul and blues. I do remember that being a pivotal moment. I remember Rolling Stones' "Tumbling Dice" being a pivotal moment. I remember understanding Otis Redding and Neil Young for the first time when I finally got them being pivotal moments. I have to say it had to be Pavement, when my brother gave me Pavement's first compilation of their singles, their seven-inch singles, Westing (By Musket and Sextant). That's where I fell in love with indie rock. And indie rock kind of paved my way, didn't it?
Baltin: I love the fact that you mentioned Black Crowes, because they're just one of those bands that I feel like they're kind of short-changed, because people always felt like they were derivative.
Bridwell: Dude, you can't fake what those boys got. And not to mention, they're also Georgia kids like my parents are, my siblings are. They're f**king champions. The Georgia Bulldogs won the national championship in college football, and the Atlanta Braves won the damn f**king World Series, so everyone's gotta be happy right now.
Baltin: So you're a big sports fan, too?
Bridwell: Yeah, it's kind of a problem, sure. I'm a Georgia Bulldog person, even though I didn't enroll ever or qualify to enroll. Matt Stafford is a dog, and I'm going for the Rams, for sure.
Baltin: This is interesting, because I've actually talked about this with Big Boi, who's also an Atlanta dude and some of the great sporting events he's gone to. If Band of Horses were going to get to play the national anthem at any sporting event, what would be the dream one?
Bridwell: I would s**t myself. Dude, honestly, it's not my thing. I went and saw the Braves two years ago, and got good seats. They asked me to lead The Tomahawk Chop, which is like this f**king racist [thing]. Yeah, I'm like, "No, I'm not gonna do that. Give me the cheap seats, let me buy the seats. I do not want free seats or better seats, so I can lead The Chop. I ain't gonna do that." And this story gets crazier. I had gone to Lenox Square Mall, and I had gotten a new hat I saw on the rack. But it had like Migos' the Culture, that record, on the cap. I'm like, "Oh my God, that's the sickest f**king damn hat in the world. I'm wearing that at the damn Braves game."
Baltin: But the Braves still have the chop and that name.
Bridwell: I think that the Braves should change their name to the Atlanta Hammers, for “Hammerin'” Hank Aaron. I think it's fitting for one of the greatest players that's ever played the game, pre-steroid era and all that. The Atlanta Hammers also has a nice ring to it. What a wonderful dude. And it sucks that he recently died before we finally got another championship and it kind of stings in that way, but I swear, we've all lived and died by these teams, be it the Bulldogs, or the Braves, or the Hawks, or the Falcons, we've all lived and died by it. But the Braves are something special to not just us or people from Atlanta or whatever, or their lineage being from Atlanta, but from the South, because Ted Turner's TBS showing the games, like in Chicago WGN did with the Cubs.
Baltin: Are there athletes that you can look at who've directly influenced you as a musician?
Bridwell: Wow, what a question. I've never been asked this before. We've just talked about Matt Stafford. I've placed my hopes and dreams on the shoulders of folks like Hines Ward, of folks like DJ Shockley, of folks like Andruw Jones, my whole life. I played baseball and football as long as I could, so I got kind of kicked out of school and stuff. Again, how much time you got? It's all like Georgia Bulldogs and Atlanta Braves folks for me, honestly. It wasn't about Andre Rison and Deion Sanders, exactly. It was more like the home-grown folks, David Green. I could list you a host of fellows that impacted my day, impacted my week, impacted my meetings with my daddy, like when we go and hang out, the things that we talk about. We do talk about the recruits that are coming up for UGA. We talk about what's coming up next for the Braves. Hopefully the Hammers, are we gonna re-sign Freddie Freeman? This s**t impacts not just our day, but our week, maybe our month.
Baltin: I read the bio written by the great journalist Jaan Uhelszki. There's a point in there where she talks about how the songs have become anthems, mantras and touchstones for fans and you're like, "I'm not sure about that." Is it surreal then to think about the fact that there are parents and kids talking about your songs the same way that you talked about the Braves and Georgia Bulldogs?
Bridwell: It's incredibly surreal. And you don't wanna believe the good news sometimes, honestly. And I'm kind of in that mode where I don't wanna believe the good news, 'cause it feels like narcissism or something like that. But we've been able to carve a path to people's consciousness and to their ups and downs. I couldn't feel more lucky, honestly. It's so sick though, it's amazing that we get to do this. And I think we have a really good album that reflects maybe the best of our abilities. I think it shows the best of our capability at least, and tells good stories that are universal enough for everyone, I really hope so.
Baltin: You talked about the vulnerability. I love the fact that you just say in "Tragedy of the Commons," "Babe I'm dog tired, can I cancel it all?" When you talk about the universality, I think that is something that you could find 95 percent of people who have felt that way in the last two years.
Bridwell: Yes, I do think there are some elements of this record that sync up with where we are, at least in America, but possibly worldwide. Well, feeling maxed out, just feeling f**king damn tired, and it's like, "Can I just not do this one thing?" And I think that's where I was getting at.
Baltin: What do you take from the record when you listen to it as a whole work? 'Cause like you say too, most artists of course don't go back and ever listen to their own music.
Bridwell: It certainly is, and it's a bit unnerving. You can't help but be critical. But there's certain times where I feel like you can give into it and listen. When I give in, it's like my brother or my dad or my sister or like a good friend. I try to listen to it through their ears, and I'm trying to make it thinking through their ears. We all inform each other, what's our takes and the things that we love. And I think the thing that endures is the fact that we took charge, ourselves, myself, whatever to steer our own ship and make sure that no one else was co-opting it and make a piece of art that is truly us.
