While the recent announcement that the last show of 2023 from the proprietors of Boston’s new Glam Punk scene, Linnea’s Garden, is taking place THIS FRIDAY(11/17) at O’Brien’s is quite the bummer, fans can rest a little easier knowing that not only is more stuff on the way in the new year… but also that by the time LG takes the stage at O’B’s they’ll have had time to aurally consume the newest EP entitled Mirrors (Which arrives earlier on the 17th) over and over and over again. That said, if you’re at the show don’t make us look silly, do your homework, and be ready to sing those words back at the trio when they take the stage!
Our review of Mirrors drops later in the week but ahead of that, we had a chance to talk digitally (Read: Via email) with THE Linnea of Linnea’s Garden, Linnea Herzog, about what fans can expect from the new outing, the importance of community not only in Boston but in the grand local scene and so much more:
Following the Carissa Johnson/Disco Rawk collaboration “In The City”, Mirrors is another step forward for Linnea’s Garden leaning into an Indie/Alt/Rawk sound throughout. What inspired the more dance feel of “In The City” and is that a style you’d consider revisiting on future recordings?
Linnea Herzog: “‘In The City’ was written in New York last winter. It was the morning after seeing LCD Soundsystem perform. I woke up and the chorus was in my head. Come up and see what you want. Memories of the previous night came crawling back, of all the people I’d seen in a 4 am Brooklyn moment. Much like LCD, it’s a vibe that makes you want to dance, to explore hidden corners of the city as you find new depths within yourself. I would absolutely revisit this style for future songs.”
We liken a lot of what LG does to a sort of “sonic chameleon” with the way you’ve been able to dive into all sorts of genres, make them your own, and then put together a cohesive record/collection of songs that just makes sense despite the different styles. How would you describe the “Linnea’s Garden sound” if you will for a potential new fan and what’s the key to simultaneously inhabiting those different styles and making them work?
“Linnea’s Garden plays glam punk rock you can dance to. I write pop songs and we play them with rock instruments. When I started learning guitar, I didn’t play a lot of covers or learn specific riffs from existing songs. I was more interested in writing my own. From this came a style that was not necessarily “correct” or “good,” but it was my own. With Hands (Bass) and Ray (Clough, drums), I’m really lucky to have found a band that can bring this voice to life. They are masters at creating new and varied grooves for a lyric or melody. We like to flesh out the songs by jamming and I’ll fill in the lyrics later. Playing with them has inspired me to level up on guitar so that I have more places to go.”
The lyrics and message in LG songs has always been very LGBTQ+ supportive/sex positive (“DB3” especially on the new release). What’s the inspiration to be representative in your songs and what is the message you ultimately wish to convey through your music?
“Music is for everyone. But I have a special fondness for the freaks and the nerds, because I’ve always been one. I write about my life and part of that is being queer. Writing and performing music has always been the easiest way to express these thoughts (like the lyrics of “Pathological Liar”) with no filter, especially as someone who feels awkward and out of place most of the time. When I first started going to shows in the Boston area, one band that really inspired me was Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys. Their show was wild, sexy and inclusive. In the crowd and that fandom, I was finding who I was and where I wanted to go. I thought, I want to do that.”
When not playing shows, you can be seen out supporting shows about town (We’re 99.9% sure we saw you and Hands in the recent Beautiful Was The Fight doc from Dave Habeeb). How important is it for you to be out there supporting fellow musicians in the Boston scene when not necessarily on a particular bill?
“Hell yeah. I love discovering a new band that blows me away (this is what our song “Comeback” is about). It’s the only real way to build a scene. Find bands you’re excited about and find bands through them. Make friends and set up shows together. Rock and repeat. I’ve been doing this since I could get into clubs. This year, we had a blast connecting and playing with AndroQueen, The Endorphins and Talk Chalk (just to name a few) after seeing them live. Looking beyond Boston has also become important this year. We’ve met some fantastic bands on the road like CATWOLF from NH, Oddysseys from Chicago, and Qween Kong from New Haven. I get excited when I see touring bands play the small clubs like O’Brien’s or the Jungle, because that’s what we’re trying to do in other cities. You have to get out there!”
The EP drops on 11/17 with a record release show scheduled for later that night billed as the final Linnea’s Garden show of 2023. What’s next for the band following the new release and show at O’Brien’s?
“We’re going into the studio again in January!”
Mirrors releases on November 17th and you can secure your copy NOW as well as follow all the pertinent Linnea’s Garden social media sites by heading here. For all the info about the Mirrors release show at O’Brien’s with Hyber, Catwolf, and Lovewhip (Also on 11/17), head here and here.
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