6.5 Ana Karina DaCosta: She Does Music

MUSIC FEATURED IN EPISODE 6  

Curated by Sarah Ginsburg:

When I asked Ana Karina DaCosta what she feels when she’s on stage, she got choked up. Ana Karina, based in Somerville, Massachusetts, might be the biggest lover of music and people that I’ve ever met. You’ll hear it when you listen to the sounds of one of the many bands that she’s in and you’ll feel it when this sensation of warmth and acceptance washes over you while in her presence. Ana Karina was born in Brazil but moved to Virginia, where she learned the cello, when she was in the third grade. Today, she’s a master of the bass, sings like a freaking angel, and dabbles in percussion all around the Boston music scene. The genres of her musical projects vary greatly, which says a lot about her too. She’s up for anything, she just wants to play.

Q&A

What do you enjoy most about singing?  I like to harmonize. When I was growing up I was always trying to. When people would sing the lead part, I was always trying to find the harmony. And then when I found The Mamas & The Papas I was like, ‘OH MY GOD, there's like 8 harmonies that I can find.’ It makes sense that that's what I'm doing now.

So, what does it feel like to be up on stage? I used to give myself a really hard time when I had a corporate job and I would play three shows every two weeks or I'd go away on the weekend and I had this double life. I'd say, ‘What am I doing on a Thursday night in this Veterans Hall in middle of nowhere Connecticut?’ And I'd be like, ‘You know what? I'm having a good time and I'm playing music and what else would I be doing? Home watching law and order or something?’ So that's how I feel: really lucky. And it feels good. It feels good to sing and it feels good to play and it feels good to have people like it.

What do you think music has the potential to do? I just hope it has the potential to lighten things up for people, just lighten things up. I don't dislike heavy themed music, it depends on how it's presented. But I think music should make people feel something and it should be happy or obviously sometimes people enjoy listening to sad music because it helps them put into words what they can't. I think a lot of people’s lives can be like that, where there's a lot of serious stuff they have to deal with, and if they're lucky they get some time to sit at home and listen to music or go out and see it or make it. I hope it just lightens things up. That's what it does for me.

LINKS: 

The Derevolutions: Soundcloud, Album Download, Now You Know My Name (Official Music Video), Twitter, Facebook

28 Degrees Taurus: Bandcamp, Facebook

Slowdim: Bandcamp, Featured in Allston Pudding 

Bong Wish: Bandcamp

Bobb Trimble’s Flying Spiders: Bandcamp

4.5 Hanna Waxman of Peachpit: She Does Music

MUSIC FEATURED IN EPISODE 4  

Curated by Sarah Ginsburg 

I came across Peachpit at a show upstairs at Charlie’s Kitchen in Cambridge, MA. I was there to see a friend’s band play, but before they came on, my ears perked to the ethereal sound of Hannah’s voice when she began to sing on "Sunday to Monday." It’s an unforgettable track unlike any of its neighbors, yet it fits so well into Peachpit’s album Come Down Pilgrim. 

Q&A 

What are your roles in Peachpit? I used to be the bass player when we were a four piece a couple years ago and my brother was the drummer. Since he moved to New York we took on Ben (our new drummer) and Jordan (our new bassist). Now I play keys, some flugelhorn, tambourine, and vocals, of course.

What do you love about making music and/or performing for an audience? There's the kind of selfish satisfaction that I get when we really nail a song. When the parts complement really well, when we can play it smoothly, and I just enjoy listening. But then there's the separate thrill of playing for an audience. I still get butterflies before shows, even small venues. I always hope they're having as much fun as I am, and when they are, when they're dancing along. There are few better feelings than that.

How would you define the music you make? It's always hard answering this one. Peachpit's music might be described at a basal level as a mix of 60's pop and rock & roll. Some of our big inspiration is from groups like Wilco, Radiohead, The Monkeys etc. With spiritually inspired lyrics and a sprinkling of synth. tones and patterns, we're putting our own peachy twist on the classic rock sound. We're "christian" rock for the souls of hell.

What her bandmates say: Beyond playing a variety of instruments in the band, Hannah is also a part of the primary writing process.  Out of the group she probably has the most formal music training, which makes her a great reference for building vocal harmonies and composing for different instruments.  She's been noted for her precise sense of rhythm as well.

LINKS: Peachpit's Website, Bandcamp, Facebook, Feature in Boston Globe

3.5 Cassie Lopez: She Does Music

MUSIC FEATURED IN EPISODE 3  

Curated by Elaine Sheldon

I discovered Cassie's tunes while wasting time on Facebook. Turns out Facebook can lead you to some great talent. A friend from home shared it, I clicked and was hooked. I knew when I heard Cassie's music that it would be perfect for Anna Sale's episode. 

Q&A 

What is your role in this musical project? I write songs, sing and play guitar and piano.

How personal is your music? My music is very personal. It's important to me to be honest with myself when I'm feeling intense things, and that happens naturally for me with music. When I'm making demos I just trust myself and write. In the studio, I like to collaborate with others, so I try to separate myself from the emotions and focus on trusting the other musicians and creating the most dynamic sounds. I love being able to listen back even years later and immediately go back to specific feelings. I don't perform often, so when I do I'm usually fighting a bizarre mix of self consciousness and overzealousness.

At what moment did you decide to make an album? I've been recording songs since I was about 15, but I didn't make a complete record until after I had made records with two different bands. Working with other people made *writing a record* seem less daunting, and it gave me confidence to do it on my own. I think I have good intuition about sequencing records just from listening to so much music. Once I start putting things in some order, I can feel it if something's missing. I did one record that just kept getting longer because none of the songs I was writing felt like a good opener.

LINKS: Cassie Lopez on Bandcamp and Interview on BreakThru Radio