How Parquet Courts Emerged From The Underground

It's difficult to pinpoint just why New York-based outfit Parquet Courts have taken the indie world by storm in recent times, but they've sure carved a defiantly uncompromising swathe through everything that they've touched in the last year or so.

The oft-cited notion of 'authenticity' clearly has some role to play in the equation. A cherished attribute in all realms independent, Parquet Courts laid claims to being 'authentic' the second they released their first collection of songs, American Specialties, on a run of limited edition cassettes back in 2011 (it's since been re-released on vinyl), and then self-issued their debut long-player proper, Light Up Gold, on frontman Andrew Savage's indie imprint Dull Tools the following year (this too was quickly snapped up by a larger US label and eventually licensed all over the globe).

This DIY bent was exacerbated by the fact that Parquet Courts never seemed interested in pandering to trends or the media in an attempt to push their own agenda. Equally refreshing has been their uncompromising stance on album artwork and other peripheral aspects of their craft, and the fact that they seem to give cultural ambitions far more weight than any commercial considerations.

But cred alone does not a buzz band make, so there's got to be more to their dizzyingly rapid ascent. Obviously their distinctive music is a massive factor in making Parquet Courts so suddenly revered, but it's equally tough pinpointing just why these idiosyncratic songs have resonated so profoundly with so many. While they're often compared to such cherished acts as Pavement, Television, The Fall or The Modern Lovers, they don't really sound like any of them all that much. On the surface it's a mess of contradictions – the music is simple but nuanced, economical but uplifting, frantic but relaxing, skeletal but possessing great depth. And their quick-fire lyrics are also imperative to their magnetic appeal, their words sometimes flippant, occasionally profound, always obtuse but never less than intriguing.

At the end of the day they just sound like Parquet Courts. They're four young guys doing their own thing their own way at their own pace, and it's this devil-may-care attitude that seems to be winning them hearts wherever they go.

“Being famous is definitely not a goal for Parquet Courts,” Savage smiles. He also finds the notion of chasing notoriety faintly ridiculous. “There's certain opportunities that we've had that we've declined because it just didn't feel right for us, but I know what you mean – it's been the first band that I've been in which sells out shows, or that has people coming up to me after shows and telling me how much they like the record. That's happened before but it happens much more frequently with Parquet Courts. I'd definitely say that fame is by no means a goal for anyone in the band, but it's nice to play to more people than we have before though.

“I don't tend to think of things in terms of career arcs, but my goals for Parquet Courts are the same that they probably were from day one – just to write good songs that I'm happy with, and to make cool albums and keep playing shows. And just to keep doing it for as long as we can.”

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