April 11, 2021
Coming off the heels of their second album, Emphatically No., we got the chance to ask Cheekface a couple questions via email. Greg Katz (vocals/guitar) and Amanda “Mandy” Tannen (bass/vocals) gave us some insight as to their creative process and how they’ve developed their unique brand of catchy “talk singing,” anxiety-fueled, indie rock. In this interview, they also talk about the importance of the band’s artwork, the effects of the pandemic, and the superiority of bagels.
G: Greg Katz (vocals/guitar)
M: Amanda “Mandy” Tannen (bass/vocals)
Q: A key characteristic of your music is this catchy, danceable sound juxtaposed with pretty heavy lyrics packaged in a witty sense of humor that further adds to the overall infectiousness. Has it always been a deliberate artistic choice to balance sad, anxious, and politically-charged lyrics with upbeat music or was it something that came about naturally?
G: This project has always been about writing songs that me and Mandy want to hear. I think the band’s voice was refined as we wrote the first few songs together in 2017. The earliest songs were kind of dark. Then we did “House Shoes” and thought that a two-chord, two-spoken-word meditation was interesting. Right after that we kind of expanded on the concept with “Glendale” which is one chord and has a one-word spoken motif, but also brought in ideas about politics and death and food and incorporated a 70s kind of feel, which kind of led into writing “Dry Heat/Nice Town,” which kept the talking and the 70s feel, and continued some of the lyrical concepts from “Glendale” but also mashed in ideas about community and mental health. Once we had that one, we felt like we had figured out something unique to us.
What I’ve generally taken away from your music is that while we should be angry and anxious about all that’s going on, there is also plenty to laugh about and enjoy through the little things in life. But what do you consider to be the message and the mission of Cheekface? And what are some of the little things you appreciate in life that help get you through the day?
M: There’s always something to be anxious about. Making and playing music is a way to feel better, a release. I try to find the balance and give space for feelings, both good and bad. But also trying not to judge them as such. My dog Stubbs makes me smile throughout the day.
G: The mission is to be honest but not earnest. The little thing is bagels.
In terms of lyrics and delivery, I notice your music has a lot of similarities with anti-folk (a la Moldy Peaches). Is there any personal connection or influence to that movement or that scene?
M: Yes, we listen to some music that is considered anti-folk, but what I love about writing with Greg is that we pull our influences from all sorts of music – no rules, depends on how we’re feeling that day or what we listened to that week. At the end of the writing day it gets filtered through us and comes out sounding like Cheekface.
Another thing that makes your music so fun to listen to is just how relatable it is, and that’s clearly reflected through the interactions you frequently have with the “Cheekfreaks.” How difficult has it been to create music during the pandemic, not just due to distancing limitations, but with the uncertainty surrounding the return of live shows that are so crucial to forming those connections and directly engaging with your fans?
G: Making music during the pandemic sucks in some ways but it’s fine in other ways. We haven’t been practicing together or getting together in the room to write, which are things I grieve for. But we’ve written some songs over Zoom or just by sharing files, and I’m not gonna lie, those songs came out pretty good. We’ve also recorded a few tracks we’ve released by sending files back and forth, which isn’t as fun as being together in the studio trying to get “the take,” but I think those recordings turned out pretty good too.
Emphatically No. is a succinct thirty-four minutes. What was the refinement process like and what led to the decision to leave off the singles “Lauren” and “Reward Points?”
G: We recorded more than we could fit on two sides of an LP, so we were going to have to leave out some things. We recorded three or four more songs for the album that didn’t make the cut, plus those two. “Lauren” is a cover of the great Rosie Tucker song, but since we were short on time anyway, it made sense to stick to our original songs. “Reward Points” wasn’t really jiving with the musical or emotional tone of the other songs so that one is going to have to wait until someone does a Complete Cheekface box set before it gets pressed to vinyl. But they’re both still out there for anyone to listen to.
The artwork for all of your singles and your two albums to date are some of my favorites. Is there any significance to the singles for Emphatically No. all featuring what could be considered “retro” technology?
M: Technology moves so fast and I tried to draw the tech that made the one before it outdated, hanging out talking to each other in the same space. But both are outdated. Tech keeps moving forward till everything that’s new and flashy ends up being “retro.” I love the idea of icons and how they can bring up emotions that don’t have much to do with what they are: simple objects.
Another question about art: the cover art for Therapy Island features a pizza, and the singles feature art with various foods? Can we get a ranking of the following foods (and one drink) featured on Cheekface art: Pie, Pizza, Ice Cream, Donuts, French Fries, and Coffee?
(Optional — mentioned in lyrics but not on art: bread & bagels)
G: 1. Bagels. 2. Other foods.
M: Anything bread-ish with melted cheese, fries, coffee, Cheez-its, bagels, peanut butter cups.
Another food question: your song “Don’t Get Hit By A Car” essentially implies that Cinnamon Toast Crunch is the single best thing on Earth, is there any cereal that comes in at a close second?
M: Fruity Pebbles.
G: Oatmeal :\
Thanks again to Cheekface! Stream Emphatically No. on any platform today!
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