Imperfect Rock Bravado

When Speedy Ortiz released their official label debut, Major Arcana, via Carpark Records in July, anyone with an Internet connection and a pair of ear-buds could check out the riotous, lo-fi sounds echoing from Western Massachusetts. Major Arcana was critically lauded; the superlatives were raked in by the handful, and critics praised Speedy Ortiz for a mixture of brutal lyrical honesty and consciously imperfect rock bravado that sounded just as at home in a dank basement as it did on a marquee stage. Since then, Speedy Ortiz have ramped up their touring—now playing as many gigs as they can while holding down day jobs, which amounts to about three a week—and are in the process of writing and recording their next EP. Though their trademark “grit and gusto” will remain on their forthcoming effort, Speedy’s Sadie Dupuis is hoping to break new ground when they head back into the studio. “We’re trying to work on more extensive arrangements with the new material,” she says, calling in from the band van somewhere in between Northampton and New York. “We’ve been trying to figure out how to manage writing new stuff and trying to make it a little different while playing the old stuff. We’re trying to push ourselves.” “We’re not finished learning yet,” adds drummer Mike Falcone. “This whole [experience] has been a huge learning process, and I don’t think it will feel totally finished for awhile. I don’t know if it’ll ever feel like we’re [finished] with learning from it.”