Brooklyn trio Nation of Language have been busy. The new-wave, post-punk, shoegaze (but make it modern and fresher than anything you’ve heard of late) just signed to Sub Pop and dropped a new single “Inept Apollo,” all while touring their critically acclaimed album Strange Disciple. When we meet up with them in the artist lounge of Salt Lake City’s Kilby Festival, they seem pretty chill about the whole thing, despite their latest single’s themes of self-questioning and feeling like an impostor while making art.
Ian Richard Devaney (lead vocals, guitar), Aidan Noell (synthesizer) and Alex MacKay (bass guitar) draw a massive crowd during their Kilby set on the festival’s Mountain Stage, which puts them in the center of a stadium. PAPER ran to catch their glittering synth-ballad “Weak In Your Light,” tripping over other fans with smiles spread across their faces. It was worth it.
Below, the band talks about the future, what they love about the Utah festival’s line-up and what we can expect from them next.
You just dropped “Inept Apollo” can you tell us about the song’s inspiration?
Ian Richard Devaney: It’s sort of a song about when you’re pouring yourself into your work to get over loss or sadness, but you feel imposter syndrome about the work that you’re doing. So you’re like, “I guess I should just keep going,” but you’re like “Should I be the one doing this?” and the never-ending self-talk that goes through your head.
How has it been touring Strange Disciple? Do the original meanings of song’s shift as you’ve played them live?
Ian: It’s been so much fun touring Strange Disciple, our last record, these past two years. I have really started to feel the way the songs really do evolve the more times you play them. When you record it, you feel a certain way. And then life happens to you and there are all these lines in it that jump out at you in different ways. It’s really remarkable. Honestly, one of my favorite things about touring as relentlessly as we tried to tour was watching the songs from all the albums evolve over time.
Aidan Noell: Definitely. I think sometimes you only realize certain things about certain songs after playing them live for a while. Sometimes, you’re like, “Oh that song! I always thought of it as a mellow song but people are dancing to it,” or it’s a lot faster than I realized and sometimes those realizations only come when it meets an audience. So it’s nice to have a couple years to do that and see what comes back to you.
I saw that you posted that you were excited about the festival’s lineup. Who are you excited to see this weekend?
Alex MacKay: .A few of the bands that we wanted to see, Pains of Being Pure at Heart was one and we just watched them and they’re amazing, as we hoped. We missed Devo and New Order, but we saw them at another festival and I’ve heard that their sets were incredible. And it’s just so awesome to be on the same lineup as such legends like that.
Ian: For me, Yo La Tengo is probably my favorite band. So to be on the same festival as them is really sick. Future Islands are a band that we love and Real Estate is playing today. Our friend’s in Gift, our friend is in Walt Disco, as well. Hannah Frances. Sunday is a strong day; today is a strong day.
What can we expect from Nation of Language in the year to come?
Ian: In the year coming up, there’s gonna be a lot of touring, which thankfully we love doing. We get really itchy when we’re at home too long without playing shows. So it’s really nice to be starting up this new cycle of touring and really digging in and getting out to see everyone.
Alex: Yeah. Learning some new songs from the past couple of years and some new music, perhaps, that we will be playing at shows. Yeah, just excited to be starting this year, hitting the ground running at this festival.
Photography: Travis Trautt