Scissors For Lefty
Onstage, their sporadic movements usually reflect singer B. Garza dancing to a slow tempo, keyboardist P. Krimmel moving up-beat, guitarist R. Garza dancing off-beat, and the nearly 7 foot tall drummer J. Krimmel performing with wildly animated movements. The four culminate into one “handsome circus”.
It all started in San Luis Obispo, with four college kids who inevitably connected through their shared love for songwriting. The two sets of brothers – Bryan and Robby Garza, and Peter and James Krimmel – used their creative talent to simultaneously “screw around in class” and keep themselves out of trouble. With their shared love for Radiohead, Grandaddy, and college radio, they began their journey into the foggy realm of indie music via a band called Scissors for Lefty.
Classifying their music genre can be slippery but Scissors for Lefty can point you in the general direction of their sound. Their music blends catchy pop hooks, quirky beats, witty lyrics, and manic vocals that inspire sporadic dance movements – both onstage and off.
“I don’t think there’s too much Kelly Clarkston in us,” says B. Garza. “But, hey, pop songs aren’t easy to write. To find a hook and melody that you want to sing along to all day is pretty hard to come up with. So, we like to give credit where credit is due, to pop music.”
Scissors for Lefty appreciates the energy their music brings to their crowds. When the audience begins to move, sometimes aggressively, it becomes contagious to the band mates. At times, they even grade the audience with scorecards on a one through ten scale. Onstage, their sporadic movements usually reflect singer B. Garza dancing to a slow tempo, keyboardist P. Krimmel moving up-beat, guitarist R. Garza dancing off-beat, and the nearly 7 foot tall drummer J. Krimmel performing with wildly animated movements. The four culminate into one “handsome circus”.
Now a part of the San Francisco scene, the band is inspired by their collective adventures and their love for the city. Using their music as a craft for storytelling, they have dedicated the title of their new album –
Underhanded Romance – to their memorable city tales. The title’s intimate vibe is not meant to exclusively illustrate a relationship’s romance, but also the romance of San Francisco and the city’s charm. “The favorite kind of things that turn you on [and] get you excited, [like] maybe your neighborhood, the local store, the restaurants, the parks… sometimes [make] you feel a little underhanded, you know?” says B. Garza.
Recently hopping onboard with the leading UK indie label, Rough Trade, these boys have been spending a lot of time in production. This translates to quitting their day jobs and cutting back on their shows. Their songwriting takes place in hallways, the backseats of cars, and in front of computers, while they record ideas on pocket recorders and voicemails.
Working full-time and playing shows is not easy, they admit. After signing with Rough Trade, they realized that being burnt out while making songs was not going to happen. So, despite living in an expensive city, they took a chance to do what they love to do most.
“All of us were working sort of bum-ho-schmo day jobs before. We’d like to make sure we gave it our best effort so we don’t have to go back to those jobs!” says P. Krimmel.
Their focused effort on this album is apparent when compared to their previous record,
Bruno.
Underhanded is more playful and sonically-balanced, in contrast to
Bruno’s more somber and experimental sound. In the past, Scissors For Lefty juggled going to school, moving from San Luis Obispo, and playing shows, which made recording time a leisure. However, with their current arrangement, Scissors have put together twelve songs in three weeks. In the land of music production, this means “a lot.”
When recording music, the band hopes that their songs will stand the test of time. Although they are conscious of the scene’s current popularity with synthesizers, they assure fans that their electronic sound is not an effort to steal a piece of the limelight. “We’re not necessarily trying to be like this big radio band or anything. Our biggest goal is to make a really good recording so that kids will want to listen to 20 or 30 years from now,” explains P. Krimmel.
Equally important is having new material for shows. The band recalls one of their favorite shows last October at the Castro Street Fair, where they were dressed in pink and introduced by drag queens on a lengthy outdoor stage. Although they prefer the intimacy of a night club, being greeted by 10,000 fellow San Franciscans on a sunny day was notably worthwhile.
“We had no idea it was going to be that kind of audience and that kind of receiving. I felt like we played for San Francisco because we were looking down Market Street and Castro… when you play a big show for your own city, it just feels really good,” reveals B. Garza.
It is apparent that Scissors for Lefty have a humble love for their city, friends, and fans. These boys have come a long way from writing songs in class, and they have musically documented their journey thus far. Ultimately, they hope that their storytelling and erratic melodies might be incorporated into your own journeys as well.
Reviewed by: Jennifer Villaruz.
