Pry
It began with the convergence of a DIY vet and a songwriter new to the craft. Some two years later, Pry’s debut album is a testament to their immediate chemistry and its ability to stand the test of time. Their sound has bubbled to life as a raw mix of genres, and they’ve wasted no time bringing it to fruition. “Wrapped in Plastic” came out May 29, delivering all the gritty nostalgia the duo could muster coupled with the audible excitement of starting something new.
Just before the album’s release, core members Amara and Simeon were kind enough to answer a few of my questions about the project.
YY: I talked to a New York band recently who formed not too long ago, and they recalled being told that it was the worst time to start a band in New York, because a lot of older clubs had closed down recently, and the city’s supposedly once-vibrant indie/DIY scene had effectively dried up. I would think that in a place like New York, the musical landscape might change, but it would never go away. What has been your experience as a part of this community — in Brooklyn or in the larger New York scene?
A: I have felt so welcomed and supported in the community here – we have booked most of our shows from friends or friends of friends asking if we want to hop on their bill. We played a show on my roof, which is a small example, but DIY is definitely still happening here. I think there will always be too much creative and inspired energy in New York for that to ever die, even if the landscape might look different. There’s tons of crazy good bands coming out of Brooklyn right now, and so many micro communities within the scene, and it’s really sweet to see how everyone uplifts each other.
S: I have had the same experience as Amara. I have met friends through/in various pockets of the NY music and performances scene and they’ve all been welcoming and supportive. There is definitely no shortage of spaces, lots of which are artist-run. Always wary of this kind of idea. Feels important to recognize and get inspiration from previous spaces/scenes/times but not get caught in the nostalgia-tripping to old head pipeline. The scene might be different but is definitely not dried up.
I find it super interesting that your latest single is loosely inspired by an unfinished poem by Simeon’s grandfather — what does the typical songwriting process look like for Pry? How do you often find yourselves getting ideas for songs?
A: Simeon will usually come to me with a demo; he’s honestly an insane songwriter and moves so quickly. I usually write when the need to get an emotion out overwhelms me once every couple of months... I’ll either add completely fresh vocals to Sim’s demos or go off of what he already has written, and then I’ll learn the bass. I will usually listen to what he sends like dozens of times and sing over it at home ‘til something clicks.
S: Flattered, but Amara’s input can’t be undersold. When writing, it’s usually with both of our voices/styles in mind. I write very differently for Pry than I do for other projects. Occasionally, lyrics and music happen together. But it is usually musically driven at first, and then a lyric or two gets pulled from a buried note in my notes app.
“So Good,” the single you’re referencing, was a case of lyrics and music being attached at the hip. My grandfather was a multi-disciplinary artist, but I don’t think he knew he was. After he passed, I inherited lots of his paintings and sketchpads and found myself enamored with how reminiscent his ramblings were to mine. An unfinished poem called “10 Roses” stood out to me. He wrote a line for each rose but never finished the 9th. To me, “So Good” is about the way our frame of reference for viewing ourselves (better or worse) is tied to the entry and exit of important figures in your life, so of course he infiltrated that thought and inspired some of the second verse.
I read that when the band formed, Amara brought a good bit of pre-written songs to the table — do many of them appear on Wrapped in Plastic, or are some of them still waiting for their place in the sun?
A: “Greener” is the only prewritten song by me on the album. Pry is my first-ever band, so I was still working through that nervousness that comes with sharing your songs through the whole album-making process. I would say being in a band and actively pushing past my comfort zone has made me really excited for what’s to come in the future though. I’ve definitely gained so much confidence in trying new things and being vulnerable from playing in Pry.
S: Yeah, “Greener” is the only pre-Pry Amara song on the record, but I have heard a couple other snippets of things she’s working on and can’t wait to get to work on those. Working with her has been the lifeblood of Pry, to be honest. There is something really special about the first songs anyone writes, and I think it’s such a privilege to play any role in getting those out. Most of the songs don’t feel fully realized to me until she edits/adds her lyrics/voice.
I also understand that Simeon brought years of experience to the newly formed duo — how do you think your individual strengths complemented each other from an early stage, and how does that tradeoff come about in the band today?
A: Being in a band with someone as experienced as Simeon has made the whole process so smooth, and I feel so lucky! He has always been open to any questions I have, and I have learned so much from him. My first time ever jamming with anyone or even really singing in front of people was with Simeon. I was honestly terrified, but since day one he has been so encouraging and genuinely excited by the fact that I was just starting my journey with music.
I think we work so well together because we are both so open to anything! I came in with no concept of how things “should” sound, and everything we were making was purely just for the fun of it. That dynamic definitely exists for us still, and I hope it always will!
S: Amara and I got along really well from day one, and I think when things click the way that they did, you kind of just have to preserve that and we’ve done a good job of that. I don’t ever really consider that we’re coming at things from different amounts of experience, especially at this point. Just making music with my friend.
Question for Simeon as an aside: what has felt different about Pry compared to some of the other projects you’ve been a part of?
Well, the biggest difference is being in NY. I am from Las Cruces, New Mexico. The music scene there is strictly DIY, time moves a little slower, and you obviously have so much more access to space. Amara and I live only a mile or so from each other but the songs are mostly written, or at least started, in our separate bedrooms from computers.
In my previous projects, we would practice four or five times a week and write a lot in person. We would spend an hour just tweaking our amps. It was a luxury but is also so hilarious to think about.
Here, we have maybe two or three hours a week with everyone physically in a room, probably playing through a half-broken amp that doesn’t belong to you and a feedback-prone PA speaker, but the meat of the song takes center stage because you’re aware of how precious that time is. I prefer it because it is easier to measure the progress. Plus, if you can make it sound okay in a 10 ft x 10 ft box, it probably will sound okay in a venue.
Outside of literal logistics, there is not a huge difference other than scratching different creative itches. I write for one project and only touch synthesizers for a while, then spend a month playing guitar or just writing lyrics – no rhyme or reason. Right now, I have four projects I’m working on outside of Pry, and I poke away at all of them when it feels right.
A lot of newer bands might gravitate toward a single-by-single approach to releasing music, putting out individual songs sometimes for years before putting out an EP or an album. What drove you to more or less come out of the gate with an album?
A: Honestly, part of the reason is the fact that I’m moving to LA this summer. We knew we wanted to release before I moved so we could play a release show. We also have been working on a majority of these songs for over two years and felt really ready to just get them out into the world. I think having a time crunch benefitted us, especially already knowing we didn’t want to sit on the songs for too long. I wanted to release them without feeling like we already outgrew them. We didn’t have the option to stew over all the things that go into releasing an album that aren’t actually making the music, and I think that was good for us mentally.
S: I would have been up for releasing music in whatever capacity. However, I have always felt mostly drawn toward writing full albums. It is mostly about whether or not the songs fit together in a way that makes sense/feels right. I think this group of songs felt indicative of where we’ve been writing from and the direction we are veering toward without feeling incongruent. There’s a lot of specificity around what makes a track pop when released as a single on streaming platforms. It is not really interesting to me to cater to that, but at the same time, I totally understand why at this point in time it is the route lots of bands take. Our friends in Crate have two singles out, and they’re a great example of a band with a great back catalog who opted for a single to single release.
The release of a debut album is always a special occasion, but might not always be without its pressures — what are your thoughts and feelings going into this release?
A: I feel so proud of what we’ve made that it feels like a huge emotional release to me, like we are letting go of a huge breath we’ve been holding. Of course, I want as many people to listen as possible but I personally don’t have any expectations of what might happen with the release of the project. At the end of the day I am just happy to say wow, I made that. And to have a time capsule in the form of an album to look back on.
S: Agreed completely, Amara! Always exciting to put music out, but the pull to music for me is just making the songs. I am proud that we got to see these songs through and had a blast working with all of the various people who played a role. Probably a good time to say that playing through these songs with our friends and live band had a big impact on the songs, and I’m so happy to have their imprint on the album.
Dave, Henry and Ryan took demos into their live forms – Dave and Henry played drums and synth respectively on the recordings. Ian Rose, who recorded and co-produced “Wrapped in Plastic,” was a dream to work with. It’s always an achievement to finish an album, but it mostly just feels good to have done it with so many great musicians and people in our corner. Very grateful for that.
You’ve put together such a solid body of work with Wrapped in Plastic, and it must feel great to arrive at a milestone like that — beyond the release show at the end of May, what’s next for Pry?
A: Thank you so much! It feels so good. We are hoping to play another show before I move. After that, we are planning to continue writing together long distance, and eventually playing shows or touring on both coasts would be a dream.
S: We both have some demos tucked away and things we are excited to get working on. For record #2 I am hoping to write more collaboratively with Dave and Oli, who’s playing synth live for us. Amara and I are no stranger to the laptop-demo back and forth, so we will keep that going into our bi-coastal phase, and I am already eager to see where the next album goes.
Thanks for taking time to chat with us!
Although Pry’s imminent split far from signifies a splitting-up, their days of playing local shows are numbered. Catch them while you can, and listen to “Wrapped in Plastic,” out now!
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