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BOTW Vol 19: Sick/Sea
Siblings have not always made the best bandmates. The volatile relationship between Noel and Liam Gallagher of Oasis, Ray and Dave Davies of The Kinks, and John and Tom Fogerty of Credence Clearwater Revival ultimately lead to the demise of each iconic artists’ most acclaimed ensemble. By the end, the internal struggles of the band members were often projected outward in the music. So if the peaceful, steady, and often tranquil songwriting of Sick/Sea is in any way a reflection of the relationship between siblings Audrey and Cameron Scott it makes perfect sense that their musical collaborations serve as a channel, leading you from a place of calamity to calmness.
I believe the magic made by this small town Texas trio comes from their ability to perform a kind of emotional judo; taking the seemingly insurmountable weight of sorrowful disenchantment and using the momentum of its onslaughts to write delightful songs. Nowhere is this progression more prevalent than the band’s latest release Moral Compass.
I could be wrong, but the album seems to tell the tale of a girl justifying the heartbreaking habits of a jerk. The record opens with the dark and discontent “Parasite.” Then, this story via song wades through rather tumultuous waters in order to end on stable shores in the still crestfallen, yet somehow satisfied album ender, “Blinked.” So while the source of the singer’s sorrow never gets his comeuppance, our hero does come to terms with the state she finds herself in.
Like good stories, good bands make me wish I were actually in them. There’s a harmony in the music and a transparency in the lyrics of Sick/Sea that draws me in, and makes me feel comfortable in my own skin. So when I got the opportunity to ask singer and guitarist Audrey Scott a few questions last week, it came as no surprise that she answered with an openness usually found only in the candor of close friends.
8 Questions with Audrey Scott of Sick/Sea
BEACON: What’s the most bizarre place that you’ve ever written a song?
Audrey: I used to write my songs on the toilet. I guess it was the only private place I could go to when I lived in a full house back in High School. I named the first song I ever wrote The Toilet Song for that reason.BEACON: Tell me one thing you did while making Moral Compass that you’ve never done before in the recording process.
Audrey: I have never recorded lead guitar parts! I’m super proud of myself that I did most of them on this record.Also, we
developed a new system during this recording process. Cameron would give his opinions to Tim on something and then they would run it by me for final approval. Cameron has a lot of ideas so this system worked really well. It was great working with Tim Friesen because he would make sure every decision we made was honest and not a decision that we thought would make him happy. He wanted this record to turn out exactly how we envisioned it.BEACON: When you finished recording the new EP how did you guy celebrate?
Audrey: We went with our producer, tim Friesen, label-mate Austin Archer, and one of the label owners, Travis Groo, to a legit pub in Decatur, GA. We went for their amazing homemade pretzels and banana beer!BEACON: A lot of bands name their tour van. Does Sick/Sea have a name for theirs?
Audrey: I think we called it the Party Ship once. I’m gonna have to make that stick this tour!BEACON: When you have a day off on the road how does Sick/Sea pass the time?
Audrey: Usually the guys will drop me off at a coffee shop so I can use the WiFi to do band work while they explore the city we’rein and I’ll meet up with them after some time. We hate passing through towns without getting to see anything but the venue but unfortunately it happens a lot. Sometimes, if there’s no cool downtown area, we’ll go to a mall and run rampant. You’ll find me at Forever 21 with empty pockets and teary eyes. If the mall ahas a Brookstone, we’ll be there for a while getting free massages, and if we have friends in that town, we’ll definitely be hanging out with them!
BEACON: Who is the one person that, if they said they were a fan of your music, would validate you more than anyone else?
Audrey: Kenny Choi from Daphne Loves Derby. I really admire his songwriting.BEACON: When you’re on the road, what city feels most like home?
Audrey: Wichita, KS for sure. The Barnhart Family from the Vertical Violet home/venue treat us like family. We actually shot our music video for Robot there to showcase their amazing home.BEACON: What restaurant do you miss most when you’re on tour?
Audrey: I don’t really eat out much but I do miss the coffee shop I work at. It’s called Jitterz Coffee Bar and they have amazing everything.
** All photos in this article are credited to Christie Bentley.
The Sounds of Sick/Sea
Check out the video for Robot, the first single from the band’s debut release ‘Moral Compass.’