Their music is raucously filled with slick synth, poppy guitar chords, and intrinsic lyrics. Uh Huh Her, comprised of Camila Grey, a former session musician and member of Mellowdrone, and Leisha Hailey, former half of nineties alt-rock duo, The Murmurs, and the rock band, Gush, makes their fun electro-infused debut on their new album, Common Reaction, released by their label Nettwerk Music. Fortunately, I got to interview Camila Grey, half of Uh Huh Her, and ask her questions about their new album, who she would choose to tour with, and how she would describe their ever evolving sound.
Before I ask any questions I would just like to say the new album is amazing.
Oh thanks.
I guess I will just get started then. How do you think the band has evolved from your debut EP, I See Red, to your new album, Common Reaction?
Well, when we recorded the EP we were a baby band. I mean we recorded the vocals in a bathroom and produced the record ourselves. We were just swimming without a lifeboat playing shows with an iPod. All the things that you should be in a band went backwards for us. On the album, we had someone else produce it.
What was the transition from working as a session musician to co-fronting your own band like for you?
Definitely a huge change, I had to show up in ways I never had to before. There is a lot of multitasking, which is challenging and difficult.
Your songs seem to have many different interpretations. When you write them do you draw inspiration from a lot of places?
We write from a lot of different places. There are a lot of metaphors and undertones in the album because it was really not organic, it was more of a fragmented process…I can’t think of another adjective…A lot of the time I would fly up there or Leisha would come down to LA, there was a lot of back and forth because she was in Vancouver. It took us four weeks to make the record and it normally takes a lot longer. I think it was good for us as a band because it got me out of my head because I tend to over think things. Normally it takes three to four months to make an album and we did it in a short amount of time.
Uh Huh Her’s music has been compared to a wide variety of bands ranging from The Coucteau Twins to The Cure. How would you describe your own sound?
I don’t like labels…I would call it an indie-electro pop haze. With the new album, I never thought we would produce a pop album. We went in a different direction altogether. On the next record it will be a different sound.
What’s your favorite aspect of making an album?
I’m a big geek and love the whole production process. Mixing is where you can be really creative.
As a musician, do you think it is important to listen to a wide variety of music in order to better understand your own sound?
Oh absolutely. Coming from a place of knowledge is always good. I went to music school at Berklee, so I think it is important. Like anything you work at, you want to know as much as you can about it.
If you could pick anyone to go on tour with you for your upcoming tour who would it be?
Well, I think we are supposed to tour with this band from the UK but oh forget it… who would I want to tour with? I just went to a concert for the band The Liars, and they were really incredible live, so I would say them.
Is there any venue or festival you want to play at that you haven’t been able to yet?
I went to Coachella this year. Have you been?
Yeah, I went for the first time this year.
It was really chaotic and nice there so I would want to play there. Also to play at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. It seems like fun.
Well those were all the questions I had. Thanks for taking the time to answer them.
Word.
Check out Uh Huh Her tomorrow when they play the Fillmore at Irving Plaza.
