Bird & Thorn is a Los Angeles-based indie folk band that began in early 2014 when Brendan Han (guitar/vocals), who had been diligently crafting a series of folk-pop songs, reunited with childhood friend Jeff Leblow (trombone/violin/vocals). Leblow’s college friends, Sean Embrey-Stine (keys/vocals), Wayana Dolan (bari sax/violin/vocals), and Alyssa Cottle (alto sax/vocals) quickly hopped on board, and were later joined by Marta Tiesenga (bass/bari sax/vocals) and Albert Sadia (drums). The ensemble members draw on their eclectic musical backgrounds to create fully-orchestrated folk-pop songs with four-part vocal harmonies, infectious melodies, and earnest lyrics.
In this interview, we speak with Brendan Han about influences, the band’s new project, and more.
Full Q&A, links, and streams below.
Let’s dive a little deeper into You, the artist and your music. What attracted you to this genre(s) or style(s)?
It was really an evolution of different genres and I felt that this one fit me best. I think I loved the intimacy and the vulnerability singer/songwriters convey and then I wanted to combine that with the full orchestration of the band.
How long have you been creating and sharing your music with the public?
It’s been about 7 years. The first song I ever recorded and shared online was around my 17th birthday about a girl I met at a drama competition… One day I’ll see her again.
Who or what influences your playing and/or writing? Also, what motivates you to keep going?
The band has a pretty eclectic mix of musical tastes and backgrounds. It’s so much fun to discover things during rehearsal that you never would have imagined coming up with on your own. We’ll throw some jazz licks over some pop punk. Jam to some country. It’s like a giant puzzle but with endless combinations.
Were you trying to accomplish anything specific on this new project? Creatively or otherwise?
Our newest single “To the West” is actually one of the first songs I wrote for the band but it took about a year for us to play it as a band. It was a song that I felt had a lot of potential but I wanted to wait a bit for us to find our groove before playing it. By the time we learned it I felt like we really fit together as a band, rather than a singer/songwriter with an accompanying band.
What was the last song you listened to?
“My Life, My Love” by Family and Friends
Which do you prefer? Vinyl? CDs? MP3s?
MP3s probably, because of the accessibility. Also because I’ve sadly never had the luxury of listening to vinyl.
How about this one…. Do you prefer Spotify? Apple Music? Bandcamp? Or something else? Why?
I’d have to say Spotify, but only because it’s what I’m used to and what I know.
Other than the digital era overwhelming us with access to an abundance of music, what are one or two of the biggest challenges you face when trying to attract listeners to your music?
Especially with a band with so many members, it definitely has to be time and scheduling conflicts. Whether it’s recording, rehearsing, or just planning it’s always difficult aligning everyone’s schedules. It’s one thing if you’re a 4-piece, but when you start getting up to 6, 7 members, it gets pretty wild.
Do you gig, tour or perform? Do you ever live stream? Where can music lovers see you live?
You can catch us around LA! We’re playing a show at The Hi Hat on September 7 to celebrate our new single “To the West.” Unfortunately we won’t be doing any live streaming, just because we know we wouldn’t be able to get a quality stream.
Where is the best place to connect with you online? Discover more of your music?
Definitely Facebook. And from there you can find links to everywhere else.
Any last thoughts? Shout outs? Words of wisdom?
MSG is not actually that bad for you
