If you are looking for some high-octane energy to close out the year, look no further than this single and B-side by The Orchard Keepers. Hailing from Indy, this trio exemplifies their self-identified genre of “loud.” I fell for “Sugar Spit” from the first vocal wails by Ayanna Miller. When it flipped to “Driftwood Abbey,” I was pleasantly surprised at the change in tone. This is a set of singles that shows this band has range.
We decided to catch up with bandmates Ayanna Miller and Ella Roberts for a little more background on this duo of tracks:
How/when did y’all come together as a band?
Ayanna Miller (AM): Ella and I met when we were around 13 at our local music store where we both took lessons. We have been playing music together ever since, pretty much. Nick joined the band a few years ago, and was originally going to just sit in for a couple of shows while we looked for another drummer, but we loved him so much that we eventually convinced him to stay!
How does your songwriting process work?
AM: Usually Ella, Nick, or I will have an idea for a song, write the music and lyrics out on our respective instruments, and then bring a “rough draft” of the song to the band. We all pretty much collaborate on it from there until we all feel like it’s completely fleshed out and ready to play live.
“Sugar Spit” has some powerful language in the lyrics. Do you have a favorite phrase?
AM: I think my favorite phrase is the beginning of the second verse, “Lay me down, I want to feel the pressure. We both know this ain’t just for pleasure. You make me want to be better, you’re a fucking treasure.” It’s super cheesy and sappy, whereas the rest of the song is very raw and kinda gross.
Do you think of it as a love song, or a lust song? Or something else entirely?
AM: I think it’s definitely both love and lust, but I think most people just hear the lust side of it, which is totally fine. I want to keep the real meaning and the real feeling to myself. This is the only song like this that I have written, and I wanted to use powerful language and phrasing to drive home how I felt, even if some of it does sound grotesque because love and sex isn’t always pretty.
There seems to be some biblical themes to “Driftwood Abbey” Can you tell us a little about the inspiration for the song?
Ella Roberts (ER): I was high on acid when I wrote the words and the music so I dont think theres a literal meaning. I think the listener should connect and make their own meaning. I will say however that i was reading a lot of esoteric writings at the time and the bible and the occult have always had an odd relationship. The influence is more crowley than christ but I love the imagery of Angel’s and original sin so that’s why it’s in the lyrics.
Why pair these two songs?
ER: Honestly, the reason we paired them together is because they were two of our newest songs that we had written, and we wanted to showcase how we have evolved from our first album, “Stickface.”
What’s your favorite part of the Indianapolis music scene?
AM: We have been playing in Indianapolis for a pretty long time now, and I think my favorite part is just seeing how things have been changing. There are so many more LGBTQ+ bands, so many more women fronted bands, so many more bands playing original good music, and I think the spaces are starting to feel safer and more involved as well.
Any bands you think people should be listening to that they might not have heard of?
AM: Grandma’s Boys out of Louisville have a great new EP out, Wife Patrol from Indy is amazing, Radar Gold (Indy) is also so incredible, and Katatonics from Bloomington are just freakin’ brilliant. There are a lot more, and all I can say is just to get out, and support local music.
Any shows or Tprojects coming up?
AM: December 13th we play at The Melody Inn, and Dec 28th we have a show at OPEN in Louisville. We’re also hoping to hit the road late summer/early fall for a Midwest to East Coast tour. And then maybe we’ll get going on a second record, who knows!