Pitchfork.tv recently sat down with Tom Krell, a.k.a How to Dress Well, to discuss his musical background-- singing in recitals as a boy, learning power chords in high school for the sake of making friends-- as well as his current songwriting process. How to Dress Well's new album Total Loss is out next week Weird World internationally and North America via Acéphale.
On lyrics:
I feel honored when people talk about me having a hand in constituting a genre. And also a little bit like, what have I done? I'm striving for a balance between wordless singing and signifying lyrical lyrics. The goal for me, lyrically, is to trust that the affect is going to be carried in the corporeal motions of sound. The worst thing is when you hear a singer with a beautiful voice singing banal ass shit.
On not singing about sex, drugs, and money:
I tend to be moved to write songs because I encounter an affect which is ambiguous or complicated or stresses me out, or perplexes me in some way. And sex and drugs, I just don't have any problems with them. They're both really great. I'm attracted to sentimental music which is to me fundamentally sincere.
How to Dress Well will play Pitchfork Music Festival Paris, taking place November 1-3 at Grande Halle de la Villette. Tickets are on sale now.