Burden's Landing On the Making Of ‘Live in West Philly’
Punk Head: There’s something very specific about recording in a third-floor Philly studio as the sun goes down. How did the room, the light, and the immediacy of the session shape the performances?
Burden's Landing: It was one of those days where we really got to embrace the joy of making music. Music requires energy to create and the setting definitely contributes to that. Because we set out to record the songs live, there was an added layer of pressure. I think the beauty of the day kept us grounded and allowed us to really lock-in together. Once the music started, everything began to flow. We simply played our songs the best we could and enjoyed the ride.
Punk Head: Live recordings can expose a band as much as they can elevate one. Was there any hesitation about putting something this raw into the world?
Burden's Landing: I thought a live recording would capture our sound really well. Going into a studio knowing you will be tracking live definitely ups the ante, but at some point I’m just like *uck it, if we don’t sound good live, then what’s the point? Let’s try it. The scariest parts to record live were the sections where I am improvising on guitar (at the end of “April Again”). The deeper you get into the take, the more you don’t want to make a mistake or hit one wrong note. Live recordings have such a cool history, too. So many of my favorite bands have done live albums, so I wanted to try one as well.
Punk Head: The guitar tone across the set feels raw but not abrasive. What were you chasing sonically—clarity, grit, or something in between?
Burden's Landing: I am a big fan of loud, gritty guitars. It just sounds amazing. It’s so fun to play. But I definitely need some clarity too. Most of the chords use a lot of the strings, so I do want each note to come through so the voicing of the chord is clear. So it’s a balance and the balance can change depending on the vibe of the song. I’ve been tinkering with my tone and gear for this project for about 3 years now and have finally found a configuration between my pedals, amp, guitar, etc., that feels mine.
I write most of the music in a small studio apartment on an acoustic guitar, so I actually don’t get to play my rig very often, except for rehearsals, shows, and recording. So when I get into the studio and have the tone right in my ear, I’m like a kid in a candy store. I just want to play and record all day. There is no other feeling I know of like playing a loud, distorted guitar.
Punk Head: You chose the third take for all three songs. What changes between take one and take three?
Burden's Landing: By the third take, we are warmed up and have all the kinks of the songs worked out. We may even be trying some new approaches between takes; add more drum fills, try a different base line, sing a melody a little differently, etc. For the third take of “We Need Revenge” and “April Again,” all three of us in the band agreed the third take sounded the best. For “Never Comin’ Back,” I listened to playbacks of take 2 and take 3, but I thought take 3 was a bit stronger. Recording live also means that I need to live with some mistakes I made. There are two points in “Never Comin’ Back” where I hear myself miss a note/chord on guitar and quickly need to recover. Now, every time I listen to the track my brain always points out the mistake hahah. But part of recording live means accepting those small mistakes and understanding the mistakes actually add to the sense of rawness. This is not a pristine, major-label production that has had a hundred sets of ears listening and editing. This is live, raw music created between three people.
Punk Head: Do these tracks feel like definitive statements, or more like snapshots of where the band is right now?
Burden's Landing: We have already finished writing three new songs since this session, which build and expand upon this release. I am really happy with how this release came about and how the tracks sound, but these songs are definitely a snapshot of where the band is right now, with more songs to come. One of the new songs has a much slower tempo, another is loud and chaotic, and I have been spending more time workshopping melodies and writing lyrics. I learn so much about songwriting each time I get the chance to release and perform, which in turn motivates me to write more.
