The Antlers 'Disintegrate and Explode' to Write 'Burst Apart' Album

Lots of bands devote concerts or, sometimes, entire tours to one specific album, but it's rare that a band does that for an album before it's even released. The Antlers did just that at this year's SXSW when they performed their new album 'Burst Apart' at an NPR showcase.

"The idea was NPR's," organist Darby Cicci tells Spinner. "We just finished the record and they were like, 'We want you to play the whole record all the way through.' We thought it was a cool idea -- a debut record played for the first time. In theory, it was really awesome. Then we were stuck with sort of figuring out how to do it."

Just a few days after they wrapped up recording their forthcoming release, the band set out to rehearse the songs and re-imagine them in a live setting. It was a daunting task, for several reasons.

Listen to the Antlers' 'Parentheses'
The Antlers - Parentheses by Frenchkiss
"It's scary," Cicci says. "It's like everyone is so in love with your first record. Then you start putting out new songs and you really don't know what anyone's gonna think."

Fortunately, the show was well-received. Playing at the Parish in downtown Austin, the Antlers transformed their sprawling tales of reinvention and self-discovery into a buoyant set of emotional songs. The fans were happy. Even parents approved.

"I'm really glad my parents texted me as soon as I got offstage and told me how much they liked it," Cicci says. "Everyone was really excited about it. The reaction I felt was pretty overwhelming."

For the new material, the band moved away from the more autobiographical songs on 2009's 'Hospice' to a narrative that runs throughout the album.

"It's sort of a story about finding your home, or finding where you come from," Cicci says. "Trying to find what makes you happy and finding out that that feeling doesn't really last. Trying to figure out what's important to you in the world."

The mood on the album is certainly deep and contemplative. And the explosive title is more of a psychological and emotional statement about self-discovery.

"You have to come undone before you can put yourself back together," Cicci says. "You have to really disintegrate and explode in order to see all the pieces that you're made of -- if you're going to find a way to make it all make sense."

It will all make sense, hopefully, when 'Burst Apart' is released May 10 on Frenchkiss records.

The Antlers Perform 'Bear' on the Interface'


Watch the Antlers' Full Interface Performance

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