A Generationals thing

The upbeat, nearly acousmatic rock musicians Grant Widmer and Ted Joyner have a catchy vintage sound, they’re about to put out their second full-length record in less than two years, and they can call the first song on the soundtrack for Drew Barrymore’s latest comedy Going the Distance their very own.

But the pair will say they’re not naturals when it comes to interacting with a live audience.

“I don’t feel like I’m a natural sort of engaging person that’s going to win the crowd over, so that’s been sort of something that I’ve had to try to grow into a little bit,” Generationals multi-instrumentalist Widmer says. Though it depends on how much he’s been drinking, he adds with a laugh.

But what was supposed to be a regular sit-down interview shortly after the new year turned into a ride around New Orleans in Widmer’s SUV to drop off equipment after a rehearsal.

Who says they’re not approachable?

The New Orleans duo was practicing in the back of a warehouse days before embarking on a freezing Midwest stint in St. Louis and Chicago. In the back room of an annex building off Broad Street, they jammed into the night with a keyboardist and drummer.

Everything they played sounded familiar, because it is.

The Generationals’ vintage rock sound has plenty of 1960s resonance, borrowing from influences like Paul Simon all the way to the 1980s. They experiment with taped four-track recordings and release songs on 45s and digital. But what’s old is new again with synth sounds and honest lyrics.

“The references, the influences, are usually really specific—’The drums for this need to sound like that song,’ or, ‘The piano for this should be like that,’ as opposed to ‘We want our band to sound like the Talking Heads,’” Widmer says. “I could probably go through any song that we’ve made and go, ‘That was a rip-off of that song.’”

But it’s unlikely listeners can tag those originals. Not many contemporary groups channel Madonna alongside Tom Petty.

The pair could be heartthrobs off the cover of a late 1960s Rolling Stone magazine. Most depictions have Widmer and Joyner dressed in some variation of oxford shirts, topsiders, Ray-Ban sunglasses and old-school haircuts. Theirs is a look and a sound that has evolved from their days as the guitarists and dominant songwriters for the Baton Rouge-based band The Eames Era. Last year, Generationals were listed among New York Times Magazine’s “Nifty Fifty” artists to watch from across the country.

Now the band’s new album, Actor-Caster, is due this month. Widmer says it is a departure from the blatant 1960s influences found on 2009’s Con Law, though those still weave the new record together. The band’s sound is always fun, though slightly more serious this go-round.

Both Joyner and Widmer sing and play guitar. Every now and then they’re both clapping percussionists, and Joyner sometimes mans a keyboard.

As we leave Bucktown on our errands around New Orleans, Widmer says they never set out to play “New Orleans music.” In fact, their music doesn’t relate to the New Orleans norm at all.

“I think we realized that that wasn’t going to be our kind of deal,” he says. “I think it takes just a lot of skill—a lot more skill than I think we have. Because I think it’s about being an excellent performer and an improvisational performer. That wasn’t going to be our sort of thing.”

The name Generationals complements the pair’s quest for renewing last generation’s sound, but Widmer says it’s also vague enough to evolve with the group.

As we head for Esplanade, Joyner jumps in the backseat for a ride home, and the conversation quickly moves from the sounds of yesteryear to today’s pop.

Joyner likes some rap. Grant, on the other hand, can’t put his finger on a single Kanye hit.

But these two have been friends since high school, and they understand each other’s musical direction. Their upbeat style is the kind of catchy, creative sound that would be right at home on an iPod commercial.

Later this month the band will head for Austin’s music and media summit South By Southwest to kick off buzz for Actor-Caster’s release, then enjoy a slot at Jazz Fest. Joyner says they’re hoping for even more exposure than last year.

“I’m just really excited about a whole second full-length album coming out,” Joyner says. “I’m pretty proud that we’ve gotten that far, and I want a lot of people to hear it. We have to just make every song awesome and make the shows awesome. That’s fun, too. It’s going to be a good year.” generationals.com