Thao and the Get Down Stay Down perform in The Current studio
by Jade and Thao and the Get Down Stay Down
March 31, 2016
Thao Nguyen took a chance in writing about something very personal on her latest record, A Man Alive. "It has its challenging moments, but I knew going in that's what the feat would be," Nguyen says.
The risk has certainly paid off. "I've been so rewarded, and it's been so gratifying to be that vulnerable," Nguyen says. "I think that kind of frankness and vulnerability begets vulnerability in kind. The way this record has been received and the emotional place that people are willing to go to with us is really sweet, and it's the most humane interaction you could have. So whatever hardship I've encountered with being this openly sad, it's been superseded by how incredible people have been and the kind of automatic closeness that you feel."
Nguyen, together with her band Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, have been touring in support of A Man Alive. On the day she and the band played at the Fine Line in Minneapolis, they stopped in to The Current's studio for a session hosted by Jade.
Besides the album's subject matter, Nguyen also tried a new sonic approach on A Man Alive. "I wanted to move away from guitar-based songs," she says. "Of course, the songs would be written on guitar or whatever instrument, but then that spine would be removed and it would be re-imagined in the studio."
In choosing a producer for A Man Alive, Nguyen turned to her friend Merrill Garbus, whom many recognize as the frontwoman of the band tUnE-yArDs. "Merrill is incredible and an incredible friend of mine," Nguyen says. "This is a very personal record to make and to write and I don't think that I could have explored this territory without very close friends involved. It was too vulnerable a place to be in to work professionally without the support of friends."
In addition to moral support, Nguyen enlisted Garbus for her musical style. "Sonically, we were looking for a much fuller, more aggressive, robust sound," Nguyen explains. "Merrill has always had this fearlessness in her production and in her writing that I've always admired; it's always been an inspiration to me, and I needed that. And also, in studio, I knew that we all wanted to be pushed to explore beyond what our bounds had been and I think we all got space to do that. It was a very warm, inviting and encouraging atmosphere."
Nguyen also shares the story behind her "gentle spoof" of The New York Times video in which Justin Bieber, Diplo and Skrillex talk about the making of their hit song "Where Are U Now."
Listen to the complete in-studio session by clicking the audio player above.
Songs Performed
"Astonished Man"
"Millionaire"
"Nobody Dies"
All songs from Thao and the Get Down Stay Down's album, A Man Alive, available on Ribbon Music.
Hosted by Jade
Produced by Derrick Stevens
Engineered by Michael DeMark
Visuals by Leah Garaas
Web feature by Luke Taylor
