Austin’s Wiretree has been very busy lately. With a CD release party on August 27 that created a lot of buzz, a stellar review from Blurt Magazine and an upcoming international tour in support of their latest album, "Make Up," the band is taking their music to new places and expanding what was already an impressive resume. Even with so much on their plate, singer/songwriter Kevin Peroni, guitarist Joshua Kaplan, bassist Rachel Peroni and drummer Daniel Blanchard found time to answer ten questions for us. Get to know this local heroes a little better and see what makes them tick.  

1. When and why did Wiretree get started?

Kevin started the project as a solo effort. The release of "Bouldin" in 2007 marked the beginning of Wiretree. The project later blossomed into a full band in 2008

2. How would you describe your sound to those who have never heard it?

Folkish Indie Pop Rock.  Somewhere in-between the Kinks and the Shins. We have our heavier moments as well as softer moments. Melody and structure are the focus.

3. Who are your influences as a group and why?

Mid-90’s Britpop/Rock of Pulp, Blur, Supergrass, Oasis..  with some Nick Lowe, Beatles and Bob Dylan thrown in from our childhood.

4. How does "Make Up"stack against previous projects?

"Make Up" has a different sound than our previous albums. We set out to capture our live sound on an album. We wanted an album that sounded raw, without too many bells and whistles. This album is basically four people playing together with minimal overdubs of vocals and some lead guitars

5. How was the process of putting the album together?

Songs were written throughout 2010. Kevin usually introduces the new song and the others in the band add their styles through drums, guitars and bass. We then played the songs live for a few shows worth and let the arrangement, tempo and dynamics of the songs develop. When we had enough songs, we went into the studio and recorded our somewhat polished version of each songs. Matthew Smith recorded the record and Randy Reynolds of Leatherbag helped produce a few of the songs as well.

6. You guys are headed to Granada, Valencia and London before the year is out: what do you hope to learn from these trips?

Yes, we were invited to play Loop Festival in Granada. With the sponsors of that festival helping us make our way over there, we plan on making the most of it by booking dates in London, Valencia and possibly in Paris. Ideally, we’d like to gain some new fans, but also have a great time experiencing playing a good show in different countries, experiencing how each area responds to our music.

7. After a the Satellite Set for ACL, the new album and the upcoming international tour, what do you guys want to accomplish next year?

Um, I’m not sure if we can top that. However, we’d like to get into any decent festival possible and also open for touring bands coming in and around our city. We’ve also been branching out into San Antonio, Dallas and Denton, so we’ll continue with that. Writing more songs, doing side projects might be in our future as well.

8. What feedback from fans/critics regarding your work has touched you the most?

When we receive a 9 out of 10 stars out of Blurt Magazine, we’re grateful and amazed to say the least. We’ve received emails about how some of the songs helped them get through a breakup, or another saying an album was the soundtrack to their summer, and another about how they played a song at their wedding. Very humbling indeed.

9. What would you like for people to take from your music?

We’re not setting out to portray an image or pretend we’re something that we’re not. We really do enjoy writing and performing songs. We hope it shows.   

10. Could you describe the Austin music scene in one word?

Diverse.

The new album is raw and powerful, packed with the kind of songs that make you tap your feet and sing along. The return to basics and getting rid of bells and whistles actually makes Wiretree sound even better, purer, stronger. Definitely worth checking it out. To get a copy of "Make Up," visit Wiretree's website here.

Image courtesy of Wiretree.